Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday, 31 October launched a sweeping attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Lucknow, describing it as a 'gang' rather than a political party, and asserting that a BJP defeat in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections would directly lead to its ouster at the national level. The remarks came after Yadav paid floral tributes at the memorial of Acharya Narendra Dev on the banks of the Gomti River, on the occasion of the socialist leader's 137th birth anniversary.

Yadav's Core Attack on BJP

Addressing a gathering in Lucknow, the SP chief said: 'The BJP is driven by negative thinking and is working to create divisions in society. The people of Uttar Pradesh have made up their minds to remove the BJP from power, and if the party loses Uttar Pradesh, it will eventually lose power at the national level as well.' Yadav's framing — that Uttar Pradesh is the electoral bellwether that decides Lok Sabha outcomes — is a familiar opposition argument, given the state's 80 Lok Sabha seats, the largest bloc in Parliament. This is not the first time the SP chief has made this strategic case; similar assertions have anchored his party's campaign narrative ahead of previous state polls.

Sardar Patel, RSS, and Communalism

On the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Yadav paid tribute to the 'Iron Man of India', saying Patel 'united the princely states of independent India through his vision and efforts.' He also alleged — a claim attributed to his speech — that Patel had imposed a ban on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) during his tenure as Home Minister. 'The greatest threat facing the country today comes from communal forces,' Yadav said, asserting that weakening such forces would strengthen democracy. He described SP workers as being in continuous struggle against the BJP and what he called its 'underground tunnel operators.'

Allegations on Economy, Schools, and Healthcare

Yadav levelled a series of specific charges against the ruling government. He alleged that the BJP, while promising a $1 trillion economy, was involved in 'donation theft', specifically claiming that 'offerings and donations from the Ram Temple had been stolen' — an allegation he made without presenting documentary evidence. He further accused the government of blending ethanol with petrol as a form of 'adulteration' and of allowing inflation to generate profits while farmers received unfair prices for their produce.

On education, the SP president alleged that 26,000 primary schools in Uttar Pradesh had been shut down by the state government, and claimed there were plans to open liquor shops in some of the closed school buildings — a charge the government has not publicly responded to. On public health, he alleged that 500 private hospitals each had been registered in Gorakhpur and Agra over the BJP's decade in power, while government hospitals were deteriorating. 'Public hospitals themselves are now in need of treatment,' he said.

Custodial Deaths, Law and Order, PDA Communities

Responding to a question about Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Yadav urged Shah to focus on Uttar Pradesh's law-and-order situation, police conduct, and alleged deaths in police custody. 'Why are so many custodial deaths taking place in the state? Why are crimes against women increasing? And why the government was not responding adequately to concerns regarding cyber fraud and murder cases?' he questioned. He also alleged that PDA (Pichhda, Dalit and Alpsankhyak) communities were being harassed, raised concerns about the incarceration of members of these communities, and alleged that 'bulldozers are being used against the homes of innocent people' — a reference to state demolition drives that have drawn criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups.

Political Context

The remarks come as political temperatures in Uttar Pradesh continue to rise ahead of state elections. The SP has sought to consolidate its PDA coalition — backward classes, Dalits, and minorities — as its primary electoral base. Yadav's speech on the occasion of Acharya Narendra Dev's birth anniversary, a revered socialist figure, was also a signal of ideological positioning, connecting the SP's current campaign to India's socialist tradition. All allegations made by Yadav are attributed to his political speech and have not been independently verified.