Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Prakash Pal on Tuesday, 13 October launched a sharp attack on Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow, alleging that the SP was attempting to claim credit for women-centric welfare schemes while conveniently glossing over its own record on law and order during its previous tenure in Uttar Pradesh. The remarks came in response to a poster displayed outside the SP headquarters featuring an image of Goddess Durga and highlighting welfare initiatives from the party's state government years.

The Poster That Triggered the Row

The controversy was set off when the Samajwadi Party put up a poster outside its party office in Lucknow, invoking the image of Goddess Durga and drawing attention to various women-centric schemes the party claims to have introduced during its time in power in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP was quick to push back, calling the display an attempt to rewrite history.

What BJP's Prakash Pal Said

Speaking to reporters, Pal offered a pointed counter-narrative. 'Akhilesh Yadav can take credit for how he usurped the rights of the backward classes, Dalits and the general category. He could put up posters claiming, 'I did it before, and I will do it again.' He could display posters admitting how riots occurred during his (past SP government's) tenure, saying, 'I used to instigate a riot every third day.' He could say that during his time, traders were forced to shut their shops by 5 or 6 p.m.,'

Pal also alleged that the law-and-order situation under the previous SP government created a climate of fear, particularly affecting women. 'He (Akhilesh Yadav) can take credit for creating such an atmosphere of fear that girls were afraid to step out. They (SP government) took over people's land; they can take credit for those things,' he said.

Questioning SP's Electoral Track Record

The BJP MP questioned the credibility of the SP's development claims by pointing to its electoral performance. 'If they have done so much good work, why did they win only 47 seats when they were in power?' Pal asked, also flagging the party's limited parliamentary wins in 2014 and 2019, which he argued were largely confined to constituencies linked to the SP's political family. He attributed the SP's successive electoral reverses to anti-incumbency generated by its own governance record, and praised the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Attack on the Opposition's Constitutional Stance

Pal broadened his attack to take aim at the wider opposition bloc, accusing it of undermining India's constitutional institutions. He referred specifically to a protest march held on Monday that he described as directed against the Supreme Court — which he called an unprecedented act. 'The Opposition wants to malign all of India's constitutional institutions, be it the Election Commission or, as seen yesterday, in what was perhaps the first instance of a march being held against the Supreme Court. As part of an international conspiracy, they discredit India's constitutional bodies, make a mockery of democracy, question the Election Commission, and speak against the Judiciary. Thus, the 'INDI Alliance' has turned anti-India in its opposition to PM Modi,' he said.

The Bigger Political Picture

The exchange is the latest flashpoint in the ongoing BJP-SP rivalry ahead of future electoral cycles in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state. Both parties have been engaged in a sustained battle over the narrative around governance, welfare delivery, and law and order — each seeking to frame the other's record unfavourably. Notably, the SP's use of religious imagery alongside welfare messaging signals a deliberate attempt to expand its appeal beyond its traditional base, a move the BJP appears keen to contest aggressively.