Akhilesh Yadav labels BJP as authoritarian

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday accused the ruling BJP of being "undemocratic and authoritarian", calling it a threat to the Constitution.

Addressing party workers and leaders from various districts at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Auditorium at the SP state headquarters in Lucknow, Yadav said, "BJP wants to spread chaos in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections." He said corruption and scams have penetrated every department and the ruling "BJP has become undemocratic and authoritarian. It is a threat to the Constitution".

"Law and order has collapsed. Daylight murders and loot are rampant. Incidents of rape and violence against women and girls are rising. The BJP has turned into a land mafia, seizing land from the poor with impunity," he alleged.

Yadav said the BJP government has failed to deliver on development.

He claimed that the previous SP government gave the state a development vision by building expressways, launching metro rail projects in cities, constructing international stadiums and parks, and initiating women's safety helplines like 1090.

"We boosted power generation, but the current government, despite rising demand touching 32,000 MW, hasn't added even a single unit of electricity in eight years," he said.

Calling the BJP's politics negative, Yadav said it targets opposition leaders with smear campaigns and false cases.

"There is gross mismanagement in cow shelters across the state. The government must clarify the number of cows in these shelters and the budget allocated for them," he demanded.

Asserting that the people of Uttar Pradesh will no longer tolerate BJP's oppression, Yadav claimed, "In 2027, BJP will be wiped out, and the SP government will return to power."