Political tensions in Uttar Pradesh escalated once again as Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav addressed a press conference in Lucknow on November 13, touching upon crucial topics such as voter lists, phone tapping, and the Ram Mandir. He questioned Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's recent statement regarding the deletion of 1.27 crore Hindu voter names. Additionally, he accused the ruling party of preparing to bring people from neighboring states to enlist them as voters in Uttar Pradesh.
Phone Tapping and References to Amar Singh
Extending support to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations that his phone is being tapped by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Akhilesh Yadav remarked that anything is possible in the current scenario. He noted that technology has become so accessible that surveillance can happen easily. During his address, he brought up former party leader Amar Singh, stating that the claims Amar Singh made regarding phone tapping turned out to be true. Through this reference, he revived an old controversy and cautioned against blind faith in modern technology during the era of AI.
Concerns Over Disputed Voter Deletions
The Samajwadi Party chief challenged Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's claim about 1.27 crore Hindu voters missing from electoral rolls. He questioned how the Chief Minister arrived at this specific figure and on what basis the Election Commission provided this information. Akhilesh alleged that such statements are intended to spread fear among the public. He stated that if his party wanted to present figures, it could claim that one crore PDA votes were deleted, asserting instead that his party successfully safeguarded its voters.
Allegations of Importing Voters from Other States
The opposition leader accused the ruling party of engineering manipulations within electoral rolls. He claimed there are plans to transport individuals from states like Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh into Uttar Pradesh to register them as voters. Highlighting irregularities in Pilibhit, he noted that two SDMs faced action following complaints lodged by his party. He expressed apprehension that voters might arrive at polling booths only to discover their names missing from the lists entirely.
Proposal for Biometric Voter Cards
Demanding structural reforms in the voting mechanism, Akhilesh Yadav emphasized that voter identity cards must be made robust and secure by linking them with Aadhaar. He pitched for a biometric-based voting system to ensure complete transparency. He claimed that if the Samajwadi Party forms the government in 2027, biometric voter cards will officially be implemented. He also raised questions regarding the Special Intensive Revision process and the overall method of compiling electoral rolls.
Suspense Over Ayodhya Visit and Political Reactions
When questioned about his scheduled family trip to Ayodhya on December 12 to offer prayers to Ramlala, Akhilesh refrained from giving a direct yes or no answer. He remarked that former minister Tej Narayan Pandey alias Pawan Pandey calculated planetary positions to finalize his schedule, leaving his Ayodhya tour shrouded in suspense without confirming whether he will visit the temple. Commenting on the alliance formed by Chandrashekhar Azad and Asaduddin Owaisi, he remarked that they did well by uniting. He urged party workers to avoid negativity. Regarding the upcoming Uttar Pradesh election dates, he predicted that announcements would arrive by January 10, challenging the ruling party by claiming their defeat will be sealed the moment election dates are officially declared.
