Yogi Adityanath targets Congress, SP over 'Bangladeshi infiltrators', calls BJP only riot cure
Synopsis
Yogi Adityanath's Kanpur address was less a development event and more an electoral broadside. The 'Bade Miyan-Chhote Miyan' framing — aimed squarely at Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav — combined with the Bangladeshi infiltrator charge signals the BJP's pitch ahead of UP by-polls: law, order, and identity versus what it calls SP-Congress appeasement.
Key Takeaways
CM Yogi Adityanath on 26 October attacked Congress and SP at a Kanpur event, alleging both parties protect Bangladeshi infiltrators at citizens' expense.
The 'Bade Miyan-Chhote Miyan' jibe was widely read as targeting Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi respectively.
Yogi inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 48 development projects worth over ₹411 crore in Bilhaur and Bithoor constituencies.
He alleged that under SP rule, mafias were 'felicitated at the Chief Minister's residence' and farmers were driven to suicide.
Yogi highlighted the Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi rename as evidence that BJP restored Dalit cultural dignity that SP had erased in 2012 .
The BJP chief minister declared his government the only solution to 'rioting, hooliganism, and anarchic activity.'
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday, 26 October launched a sharp political offensive against the Indian National Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP), alleging that both parties harbour sympathy for illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators while showing contempt for their own citizens. The remarks came during a public event in Kanpur for the inauguration and foundation stone-laying of 48 development projects worth more than ₹411 crore across the Bilhaur and Bithoor Assembly constituencies.
The 'Bade Miyan-Chhote Miyan' Jibe
Without naming individuals directly, the Chief Minister drew a pointed parallel between two figures he described as 'Chhote Mian' and 'Bade Mian' — remarks widely interpreted as references to SP national president Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Yogi alleged that both had 'embraced' Bangladeshi infiltrators while going on to insult Dalits, the deprived, the poor, farmers, and the youth.
'Akhilesh ji, why do you love Bangladeshi infiltrators so much?' the Chief Minister posed directly, drawing a sharp response from the crowd.
BJP as the 'Only Cure' for Lawlessness
Yogi asserted that the BJP-led double-engine government remained the only viable answer to rioting, hooliganism, and anarchic activity in the state. He framed the upcoming political contest as a binary choice between the BJP's law-and-order record and what he characterised as the SP's 'reign of terror' during its previous tenures.
The Chief Minister alleged that under Congress and SP administrations — which, he noted, ruled Uttar Pradesh for extended periods — farmers were driven to penury and even suicide, and youth were denied employment. 'Their goons grabbed the land of farmers, and at the same time, the mafias were felicitated at the Chief Minister's residence,' he claimed.
Ravidas Legacy and Bhadohi Rename
Digging into what he called the 'past misdeeds' of previous governments, Yogi brought up a grievance linked to the Dalit community. He stated that in 2012, when the SP government came to power, its first cabinet decision was to remove the name of Sant Guru Ravidas Ji from the district of Bhadohi. He contrasted this with the BJP government's subsequent decision to rename the district Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi, presenting it as a restoration of Dalit cultural heritage.
The move carries electoral undertones: the Dalit vote bank remains a decisive factor in several western and central Uttar Pradesh constituencies, and Yogi's invocation of Guru Ravidas signals a targeted outreach to these communities.
Context and Political Backdrop
The remarks come amid an intensifying political climate in Uttar Pradesh, where by-elections in several Assembly segments are expected to serve as an early barometer for the 2027 state elections. Yogi's rhetoric on infiltrators echoes a broader BJP national narrative on illegal immigration, while the attack on SP governance draws from a well-worn playbook that has served the party in successive electoral cycles.
The SP and Congress are yet to formally respond to Monday's specific remarks. How both parties engage with the infiltrator framing — particularly ahead of by-election campaigning — is likely to define the next phase of the state's political debate.
Point of View
The Dalit outreach via Guru Ravidas, and the law-and-order contrast all serve the same electoral purpose. What is notable is the 'Bade Miyan-Chhote Miyan' framing: by linking Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi in a single rhetorical unit, the BJP attempts to make the INDIA bloc's alliance liability more visible to voters. The SP and Congress's inability to land a sharp counter on the infiltrator narrative remains a structural weakness — one Yogi appears determined to exploit ahead of 2027.
NationPress
27 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did CM Yogi Adityanath say about Congress and SP at Kanpur?
Yogi Adityanath alleged that both Congress and SP maintain sympathy for Bangladeshi infiltrators while treating Dalits, farmers, and the youth with contempt. He described the BJP-led government as the only cure for rioters and lawlessness, and used the 'Bade Miyan-Chhote Miyan' phrase in an apparent reference to Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav.
What is the 'Bade Miyan-Chhote Miyan' remark and who was it aimed at?
Yogi used the terms 'Chhote Mian' and 'Bade Mian' to describe two national opposition figures without naming them directly — widely interpreted as references to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The phrase was used to allege that both leaders favour illegal immigrants over Indian citizens.
What development projects did Yogi inaugurate in Kanpur?
Yogi Adityanath inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 48 development projects costing more than ₹411 crore in the Bilhaur and Bithoor Assembly constituencies of Kanpur on 26 October.
What did Yogi say about the SP and Sant Guru Ravidas?
Yogi alleged that when the SP came to power in 2012, its first cabinet decision was to remove the name of Sant Guru Ravidas Ji from the district of Bhadohi. He contrasted this with the BJP government's renaming of the district to Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi, framing it as a restoration of Dalit heritage.
Why do Yogi's remarks matter ahead of Uttar Pradesh by-elections?
The speech combines law-and-order rhetoric, Dalit outreach, and the infiltrator charge — three themes central to the BJP's electoral strategy in Uttar Pradesh. With by-polls widely seen as a preview of the 2027 state elections, Yogi's framing signals the party's intent to put Congress and SP on the defensive over identity and governance issues.
