Akhilesh mocks BJP over flooded UP expressways
Synopsis
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav took a pointed satirical dig at the UP BJP government on 27 September 2026, mocking waterlogged expressways by joking about fishing and boat speed limits, and warning BJP supporters against using the Ganga Expressway.
Key Takeaways
Akhilesh Yadav posted sharp satire on 27 September 2026 targeting the UP BJP government over flooded expressways during the monsoon season.
He claimed people are 'fishing on a submerged expressway' under BJP rule, and sarcastically said the Chief Minister would call it a new employment scheme.
He joked that Lucknow , Varanasi , and Gorakhpur highways would soon carry signboards specifying speed limits for 'boats' and 'swimming.' The Ganga Expressway , a 594-km flagship corridor from Meerut to Prayagraj , was the central target of his attack.
Opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh have repeatedly used monsoon waterlogging images on new expressways as political ammunition against the Yogi Adityanath administration.
When an expressway doubles as a fishing ground, the opposition notices. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav fired a sharp satirical salvo at the Uttar Pradesh BJP government on Sunday, 27 September 2026, posting a biting jibe about waterlogged expressways in the state — and suggesting the Chief Minister might soon rebrand the flooding as a 'new employment opportunity.'
Writing in Hindi, Akhilesh said: 'भाजपा के राज में लोग जलमग्न एक्सप्रेसवे पर मछली पकड़ रहे हैं' — 'Under BJP's rule, people are fishing on a submerged expressway.' He added, with characteristic sarcasm, that the Chief Minister would likely claim credit for 'giving people a new livelihood.'
'Boat speed limits' and the Ganga Expressway jab
Akhilesh did not stop there. He quipped that the UP BJP government is reportedly planning to erect new signboards on roads and highways in Lucknow, Varanasi, and Gorakhpur — specifying maximum speed limits for 'boats' and 'swimming.' The satirical swipe is aimed squarely at the Ganga Expressway, the 594-km flagship connectivity corridor stretching from Meerut to Prayagraj that the state government has promoted as a centrepiece of its infrastructure push since 2017.
His closing line delivered the sharpest sting: he repeated an earlier 'advice' to BJP supporters — if Maa Ganga calls them, do not take the Ganga Expressway to get there. The line conflates the expressway's name with the river's spiritual resonance, turning a highway brand into a punchline about waterlogging.
A monsoon pattern the opposition keeps returning to
This is not the first time UP's opposition has used flooded expressway footage to challenge the BJP's infrastructure narrative. Each monsoon season, images and videos of waterlogging on newly built roads in the state circulate widely, prompting political counter-attacks. The Yogi Adityanath government has consistently defended its expressway record, pointing to the scale and speed of construction under its tenure.
The Ganga Expressway and the Purvanchal Expressway are central to the state's pitch that it has transformed Uttar Pradesh's connectivity landscape. Critics, led by Akhilesh — who himself built the Agra-Lucknow Expressway during his own tenure as Chief Minister — argue that construction pace has outrun quality and drainage planning, leaving commuters stranded when the rains arrive.
With assembly elections always somewhere on the horizon in India's most populous state, every waterlogged highway photograph is a political weapon. Akhilesh knows how to use one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Akhilesh Yadav criticising the Ganga Expressway?
Akhilesh Yadav posted satire on 27 September 2026 alleging that the Ganga Expressway and other UP roads are waterlogged during the monsoon, with people reportedly fishing on the submerged stretch, highlighting what he frames as poor infrastructure quality under the BJP government.
What is the Ganga Expressway?
The Ganga Expressway is a 594-km road corridor connecting Meerut to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, promoted as a flagship infrastructure project by the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government since 2017.
What did Akhilesh Yadav say about boat speed limits?
Akhilesh Yadav sarcastically claimed that the UP government is planning to install signboards on highways in Lucknow, Varanasi, and Gorakhpur specifying maximum speed limits for 'boats' and 'swimming' — a satirical jab at the extent of road flooding, not a verified government plan.
Has the UP BJP government responded to expressway waterlogging criticism?
The Yogi Adityanath government has consistently defended its expressway record, emphasising the scale and speed of construction, though specific responses to the September 2026 post were not immediately available.
Is flooding on UP expressways a known issue?
Opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh have repeatedly circulated images and videos of waterlogging on newly built roads during monsoon seasons, making it a recurring political flashpoint against the BJP administration.
