Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday, 1 November delivered a sharp counter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's 'Angad's leg' remark, telling the crowd at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi: 'There is no ground left beneath your feet, so where will you place Angad's leg?' The remarks came at the INDIA bloc's 'Dilli Chalo' rally, organised to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral irregularities.

The 'Angad's Leg' Exchange

Home Minister Shah had earlier invoked the mythological figure of Angad from the Ramayana — whose leg, according to the epic, could not be moved by anyone — to describe the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s grip on power in Uttar Pradesh. Yadav turned the metaphor on its head, arguing that the BJP no longer has solid ground to stand on, rendering the Angad comparison hollow.

Addressing the gathering, he also declared: 'Those who once came from UP will be driven out of UP itself. The people of the state know how to welcome and know it better how to bid farewell. In 2027, their farewell will be of such a kind that the BJP and its allies will not be able to return again.'

Ramlila Maidan as 'Haldighati of Democracy'

Yadav described Ramlila Maidan as the 'Haldighati of democracy', invoking the historic battle site to frame the rally as a turning point. 'The massive public support and slogans of revolution are proof that change can happen at any moment,' he asserted.

He also took aim at alleged financial misconduct, saying: 'Lord Ram won't forgive those who have committed sin, those who have stolen donations made at the Ram Temple. They will definitely be punished.' This is a pointed reference to ongoing opposition allegations around Ram Temple donation fund management — claims the BJP has denied.

UP Council Polls and the 'Double Zero' Jibe

Yadav highlighted the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)'s defeat in five seats in the recent Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council polls, including Varanasi. 'Those boasting of a double engine government ended up getting a double defeat and a double zero in Uttar Pradesh... I am happy that the people of Kashi gave them a double zero!' he said.

This result, he argued, is an early signal of the public mood ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Allegations Against the Election Commission

A significant portion of Yadav's speech focused on the Election Commission of India (ECI), which the INDIA bloc rally was specifically convened to address. He alleged that the BJP 'constantly conspires' to win elections through the ECI, claiming: 'Because they know that they cannot win elections otherwise, they have found a way out through the Election Commission.'

He further alleged that security forces were deployed overnight in Bengal and that votes were deleted via Special Intensive Revision (SIR) just before elections. Referring to the SP's 2022 UP Assembly poll defeat, he claimed voter names were selectively removed from electoral rolls and that when he raised the issue with the ECI, he received a notice demanding the basis of his allegations.

Notably, the Election Commission has separately directed the suspension of two Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, over alleged irregularities in the electoral roll — a development Yadav cited as partial vindication of the opposition's concerns. The BJP has not publicly responded to the specific allegations made at the rally.

What Comes Next

The rally marks an escalation in the INDIA bloc's pre-2027 campaign, with electoral roll integrity now firmly at the centre of the political debate. Whether Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar responds to the resignation demand — and how the BJP shapes its counter-narrative — will define the next phase of this confrontation.