Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission over alleged irregularities in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections after casting his vote at the block panchayat office in Saifai on Friday. He alleged discrepancies in voter lists and claimed that attempts were being made to obstruct voters supporting the Samajwadi Party. He also said his party would work with Congress to defeat the BJP in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Akhilesh Yadav alleged irregularities in the Legislative Council elections in several districts, including Agra, Fatehpur, Gorakhpur, Jaunpur and Kannauj. He claimed that people intending to vote for the Samajwadi Party were being prevented from exercising their franchise.
Taking a swipe at the BJP, Yadav said the party should establish a university to teach vote theft, with a three-year course for its workers.
He further alleged that individuals linked to the BJP, along with some officials, were helping facilitate the alleged irregularities. Questioning the Election Commission's role, he called for the complaints to be investigated.
The allegations have not been independently verified. No response from the BJP or the relevant officials specifically addressing these claims was available in the information provided.
Yadav also raised concerns about alleged discrepancies in voter lists. According to him, the party has been lodging complaints on the issue since 2022, but the problems remain unresolved.
He alleged that discrepancies exist between the voter lists supplied to political parties and those available with presiding officers at polling stations. He called for an investigation to establish where the alleged discrepancies were occurring.
The Samajwadi Party president accused the Election Commission of failing to take complaints seriously. He said action on such complaints was necessary to maintain public confidence in the electoral process.
Alongside the Legislative Council elections, Yadav discussed the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, stating that his objective was to remove the BJP from power.
Asked about the alliance with Congress and seat-sharing arrangements, he said a way would be found to defeat the BJP. He also called for ber political coordination between the two parties.
However, he did not specify any seat allocation or formula for the proposed arrangement.
Yadav criticised the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over employment and reservation issues. He questioned the government's investment claims and raised concerns about the condition of government schools and healthcare services.
He said the government should focus on these issues, including employment opportunities and access to essential public services.
Referring to farmers' difficulties, Yadav raised the issue of a shortage of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser. He attributed the shortage to the central government's foreign policy and trade agreements. However, the statement provided did not include any data establishing a link between the fertiliser shortage and those policies.
Responding to a question about Uttar Pradesh minister Sanjay Nishad's reported dissatisfaction, Yadav said questions were natural when promises made during elections were not fulfilled.
Asked about his meeting with former minister Azam Khan, Yadav said justice and truth could not be imprisoned. Expressing support for Khan, he said, "Azam Khan was Azam, is Azam and will remain Azam."
Yadav also raised concerns about the condition of the Lucknow-Agra Expressway. He appealed to the media to give prominence to problems related to the road's condition.
Voting for five graduate and six teacher constituencies of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council took place on October 23. Results for all 11 seats are scheduled to be declared on October 27.
The BJP and the Samajwadi Party are considered to be in a close contest in several constituencies.
The election results and any action taken by the relevant authorities on complaints of alleged voting irregularities remain matters to be followed.
