Rajbhar slams Akhilesh Yadav over Sanatan Dharma remarks, calls it pre-poll posturing
Synopsis
UP Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar didn't just counter Akhilesh Yadav — he dismantled the SP's entire electoral arithmetic in one press briefing. From branding the PDA formula a 'family business' to challenging Yadav to name a Muslim Chief Minister, Rajbhar's broadside signals that the BJP-allied camp sees Akhilesh's Sanatan pivot as a vulnerability, not a strength.
Key Takeaways
Om Prakash Rajbhar attacked Akhilesh Yadav on 10 November in Ambedkar Nagar , calling his Sanatan Dharma remarks election-driven posturing.
Rajbhar alleged Akhilesh offered namaz on the stairs of Hanuman Garhi during his tenure as Chief Minister.
He claimed 32 family members of Akhilesh hold elected positions within the SP, branding PDA a 'Parivaar Development Authority.' Rajbhar challenged the SP chief to declare a Muslim candidate as the party's Chief Ministerial face.
The minister accused SP of contradictory outreach to Brahmin , backward , Dalit , and minority communities.
Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar on Tuesday, 10 November launched a sharp attack on Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav in Ambedkar Nagar, accusing him of adopting a pro-Hindu stance purely to court votes as elections draw closer. Rajbhar questioned Yadav's sincerity on Sanatan Dharma, framing his recent religious outreach as opportunistic political theatre.
What Triggered the Attack
Rajbhar's remarks came in direct response to Akhilesh Yadav's claims that the SP would fast-track development in Ayodhya and clamp down on corruption if voted to power. The minister wasted no time in turning those assertions back on the SP chief, alleging inconsistency between Yadav's stated positions and his track record in office.
Rajbhar alleged that during Akhilesh Yadav's five-year tenure as Chief Minister, he had offered namaz on the stairs of the Hanuman Garhi temple. He further claimed that if the SP were to return to power, 'namaz would be offered inside the Ram Temple' — an allegation the SP has not publicly addressed.
Rajbhar's Quotes and Core Accusations
Targeting Yadav's recent references to Hinduism, Rajbhar said, 'His inclination towards Hinduism and Sanatan, with the election dates coming nearer, is a sign of his ignorance and his insult to Sanatan. He has dug his own grave.'
He further questioned the SP chief's visits to pilgrimage cities: 'He went to Kashi but did not seek the blessings of Lord Shiv; he went to Ayodhya but not to Ram Mandir; we went to Mathura, but he did not take the blessings of the Lord.'
In arguably his sharpest line, Rajbhar alleged, 'When he realised that without appeasing the Hindus, he could not get their votes, he started reciting Sanatan.' He also accused Yadav of sending contradictory signals to different communities, claiming, 'He wakes up late, and before brushing his teeth, he is a Muslim, and after taking a bath, he calls for Lord Hanuman.'
Charge of Family Dominance and PDA Contradiction
Rajbhar also turned his fire on the SP's signature PDA (Pichhda, Dalits and Alpsankhyak) political formulation. He alleged that the acronym in practice stood for 'Parivaar Development Authority,' claiming that nine members of Akhilesh Yadav's family currently hold Parliament seats, and that across MPs, MLAs and District Council Presidents, the family accounts for 32 members within the party.
He added that if Yadav were genuinely committed to backward communities, 'there should have been at least two MPs from his party who were representing the backward communities, but there aren't any.' He also accused the SP of contradictory outreach to the Brahmin community — demeaning them in press conferences and then organising Brahman sammelans to win them back.
Challenge Over Muslim Representation
Rounding off his attack, Rajbhar accused Akhilesh of exploiting Muslim voters for electoral arithmetic without offering them substantive power. 'This is just manipulation of the Muslim factions. If he is truly concerned about the welfare of the Muslims, he should declare a Muslim candidate from the Samajwadi Party for Chief Minister,' he said.
He also referenced a statement attributed to Akhilesh Yadav's uncle, saying it had prompted him to issue directions to local authorities to monitor instances of intimidation against voters over their political choices. This comes amid heightened political temperature in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the next state assembly election cycle, with both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-allied camp and the opposition SP intensifying their community outreach campaigns.
Point of View
The BJP-allied camp is betting that Hindu voters will reject what they see as transactional religiosity. The 'Parivaar Development Authority' line is particularly potent — it reframes the SP's most resonant slogan as nepotism in disguise. Notably, Rajbhar himself represents a backward-caste constituency that the SP's PDA formula explicitly targets; his defection to the ruling alliance and this attack both underscore how fiercely the two sides are contesting the same social segments. The challenge over a Muslim CM candidate is a classic wedge tactic, forcing the SP either to deflect or to alienate one of its core vote blocs.
NationPress
10 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Om Prakash Rajbhar attack Akhilesh Yadav on 10 November?
Rajbhar attacked Akhilesh Yadav in Ambedkar Nagar on 10 November in response to SP's claims about accelerating Ayodhya's development. He accused Yadav of invoking Sanatan Dharma and Hindu religiosity purely to court votes as elections approach, calling it insincere and an 'insult to Sanatan.'
What is Rajbhar's allegation about Akhilesh Yadav and Hanuman Garhi?
Rajbhar alleged that during Akhilesh Yadav's five-year tenure as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, he offered namaz on the stairs of the Hanuman Garhi temple. He further claimed that if the SP returned to power, namaz would be offered inside the Ram Temple — allegations the SP has not publicly addressed.
What did Rajbhar say about the SP's PDA formulation?
Rajbhar alleged that SP's PDA (Pichhda, Dalits and Alpsankhyak) slogan was in practice a 'Parivaar Development Authority,' with nine family members of Akhilesh Yadav holding Parliament seats and 32 family members across elected positions in the party. He also claimed no MPs from the party actually represented backward communities.
What challenge did Rajbhar issue to Akhilesh Yadav over Muslim voters?
Rajbhar challenged Akhilesh Yadav to declare a Muslim candidate as the Samajwadi Party's Chief Ministerial face, accusing him of exploiting Muslim voters for electoral gains without giving them substantive political representation.
What is the political context of Rajbhar's attack?
The attack comes amid intensifying pre-poll positioning in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP-allied camp and the SP are both competing for backward-caste, Dalit, minority, and Hindu upper-caste votes. Rajbhar, a Cabinet Minister aligned with the BJP, represents a backward-caste voter base that the SP's PDA formula also targets.
