Akhilesh Yadav: ‘No trust in EC’: Akhilesh Yadav alleges ‘vote theft’ in 2022 UP polls, says SP will contest 2027 in alliance | India News
NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday accused the Election Commission of facilitating what he called “vote theft” of the PDA bloc in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, claiming that his party would have formed the government had the alleged irregularities not taken place.Addressing a public meeting in Raebareli after arriving on the party’s specially designed PDA Rath, Yadav also said the SP would contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in alliance, with seat-sharing based on the ability of a candidate or party to win.“The Election Commission has been exposed and has worked like a puppet. Such a low level of work may never have happened in a democracy. Now, there is no trust in the Election Commission,” Yadav said.The PDA acronym, coined by Yadav in 2023, refers to Pichhde (backward classes), Dalits and Alpsankhyak (minorities).
Akhilesh links 2022 result to alleged ‘vote theft’
Yadav alleged that the BJP was using the election machinery because it knew people would not vote for the party on issues such as inflation.He claimed that the alleged “vote theft” in the 2022 Assembly polls had prevented the SP from forming the government in Uttar Pradesh.The SP chief also attacked what he described as “bulldozer politics”, saying the PDA movement would challenge it in the 2027 elections.“This time (in 2027) the electoral verdict would not merely defeat them but would ‘demolish’ and permanently eliminate such negative politics,” he said.Yadav also referred to the 2024 Lok Sabha election, saying, “We defeated them in 2024 and in 2027 we will work for their (BJP) permanent defeat.”The SP and Congress had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh as allies, winning 37 and six seats respectively, for a combined tally of 43. The BJP won 33 seats in the state.
SP says 2027 alliance will depend on winnability
Yadav said the SP would contest the 2027 polls as part of an alliance, although he did not specify its partners or the number of seats each party would contest.“We will have an alliance,” he said, adding that the basis for deciding seats would be winnability.“Whoever can win a seat should get that seat,” Yadav asserted.His remarks come as the SP and Congress face the question of whether they can maintain their alliance for the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.Yadav’s PDA Rath campaign was launched from Raebareli, where Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is the sitting Lok Sabha MP. The SP had said Yadav’s visit also included a planned meeting with Harchandpur MLA Rahul Lodhi, following a September 17 clash involving members of the Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha and ABVP.Police had denied allegations of manhandling by SP workers and said a magisterial inquiry into the police action had been ordered.The specially designed PDA Rath carries slogans including “Samajwadi PDA Yatra” and “PDA hi parivartan layega”, along with the definition of PDA as Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak.
Yadav attacks BJP over UCC, jobs and schools
Yadav also criticised the BJP over the alleged demolition of religious structures in Kashi and Saharanpur, accusing the party of pursuing communal politics and weakening social harmony.On the proposed Uniform Civil Code, he said laws should follow efforts to ensure equality among citizens.“We say first make the citizens equal; first, let all of us become one. When everyone’s respect becomes equal, then bring laws to increase that respect and take people forward,” he said.On employment, Yadav promised that an SP government would increase government recruitment and provide jobs to young people.
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“If outsourcing has to be ended, we will end outsourcing,” he said.He also promised free treatment in hospitals, saying people would not have to search for a card before receiving healthcare.Yadav accused the state government of shutting primary schools while opening liquor shops and said an SP government would reopen schools that had been closed.He also promised to restore the old pension scheme for government employees.The Raebareli visit marks the beginning of the SP’s PDA-focused outreach ahead of the 2027 Assembly election, with Yadav using the campaign to reiterate his allegations against the Election Commission, outline his alliance strategy and present the party’s key electoral promises.
