Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Sunday, 11 October levelled sharp allegations against Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, accusing him of exploiting the birth anniversary of Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan to cover up what Pathak called 'corruption and dynastic politics.' The remarks came in response to Akhilesh Yadav's visit to the Jai Prakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) in Lucknow.

What Akhilesh Yadav Said at JPNIC

During his visit to pay tribute on JP Narayan's birth anniversary, Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the present government had neglected the museum and allowed surrounding land to be sold. 'There's nothing left in the museum now because the current government doesn't respect any freedom fighter because those in the government want to sell everything. Maybe the museum did not get sold, but all the land near it has been sold,' the SP chief told reporters.

He added that the government 'wants profit' even from ideology, claiming that a museum built in memory of a Bharat Ratna recipient was being commercialised. He called on SP workers to pledge to walk on the path of Jayaprakash Narayan and bring about societal change.

Pathak's Counter: 'This Is Drama'

Describing Akhilesh Yadav's visit as 'drama' in a self-made video, Brajesh Pathak said Jayaprakash Narayan's life was defined by democratic values and a firm stand against corruption and dynastic politics — principles he argued the SP chief had violated. 'He will invoke the names of icons like Jayaprakash Narayan and (Ram Manohar) Lohia — whose lives were dedicated to simplicity and socialism — to conceal his own misdeeds,' Pathak said.

He also alleged that the SP government had entrusted the running of the JPNIC to a family member of the then head of government — a veiled reference widely understood as targeting Akhilesh Yadav himself.

The JPNIC Cost Controversy

The sharpest allegation centred on the project's finances. Pathak claimed that the JPNIC, initially estimated at ₹17 crore, saw its cost balloon to ₹850 crore during the SP government's tenure — and was still left incomplete. 'How did the costs rise? How were proposals to repeatedly hike the price passed? And yet, the project remained unfinished; you left it incomplete,' Pathak said, demanding accountability.

He also made a pointed reference to a swimming pool at the centre, implying it was a luxury inconsistent with socialist values and questioning whether taxpayer money should have been spent on such amenities.

BJP's Defence: Lease Was for Better Operation

Responding to Akhilesh Yadav's charge that the JPNIC was being 'sold,' Pathak clarified that the centre had been leased out — not sold — to ensure its better operation under the Yogi Adityanath-led 'double-engine' government. He argued this was a responsible step to preserve and honour JP Narayan's legacy.

Pathak further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only cites leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan and Acharya Narendra Deva in speeches but 'actively follows' their ideals — contrasting this with what he termed the SP's selective appropriation of socialist icons.

Political Context

The exchange is the latest episode in a running political battle in Uttar Pradesh, where both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the SP regularly invoke socialist and anti-corruption legacies ahead of future electoral contests. The JPNIC, built during the SP's time in power, has become a flashpoint for competing narratives on governance, legacy, and financial propriety. With Assembly elections on the horizon, such anniversary occasions increasingly serve as political stages — and Sunday's confrontation underlined how charged that terrain has become.