Lucknow: Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav continued his criticism of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Friday, accusing him of not regularly attending Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's meetings and labeling him a "pawn" of Delhi's political elite.
Yadav remarked, "Keshav Prasad Maurya has become a pawn of Delhi. He has become the password of Delhi's WiFi. Will the government run like this?"
During the installation of the Constitution Pillar at the SP state office, Yadav commented on the recent meeting between Pallavi Patel and Chief Minister Adityanath. He mentioned that Patel is from the PDA (Pichchra, Dalit, Alpsankhayak) and represents half the population.
Regarding the termination of membership for other rebel MLAs, Yadav expressed hope that the assembly would provide justice and terminate the memberships of the rebels. Four sitting MPs had revolted and voted against the party candidate in Rajya Sabha elections resulting in the loss of the third candidate of party.
Yadav also recalled his tenure as Chief Minister, alleging that people of all the castes got representation in his government. He questioned the current administration's caste composition, mentioning the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, and Principal Home Secretary all belong to same caste.
Yadav asserted that if the SP returned to power, madrasas would be modernized. During the establishment of the Samvidhaan Maan Stambh, Yadav highlighted that more people would be connected through the PDA and emphasized that the SP is the only party in the country with socialism in its name. He concluded by paying respects to the martyrs of Kargil.
Maurya reacts:
In response to Yadav's remarks, Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya fired back, saying, "SP brave Akhilesh Yadav, who has become a pawn of Congress, should focus on saving SP from extinction instead of harboring misunderstandings about BJP, targeting, and insulting the backward sections. BJP will repeat 2017 in 2027. The lotus has bloomed, will bloom, and will keep blooming."
This exchange follows a previous taunt from Yadav, where he made a monsoon offer stating, "bring 100 and form the government." Though this statement he made it clear that his doors were open for rebel BJP MLAs.
Maurya had retorted, predicting that in 2027, the people and workers would reduce the SP's tally to 47 seats. He described the SP as a "sinking ship" and a "dying party."