Political friction in Uttar Pradesh intensified as Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief and state Panchayati Raj Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar launched a pointed offensive against Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav. Speaking to reporters during a visit to Kanpur for a private event, Rajbhar tackled a range of contentious issues, from law and order records to opposition demonstrations and recurring allegations surrounding election outcomes.
Scrutiny Over Past Law and Order Record
Addressing questions concerning women's safety and recent demonstrations in Delhi, where Akhilesh Yadav remarked that people from Uttar Pradesh were responsible for creating disputes, Om Prakash Rajbhar pushed back firmly. He urged the Samajwadi Party chief to reflect on the track record of his own tenure before questioning current state governance.
Rajbhar stated that ordinary citizens faced widespread public harassment while the Samajwadi Party was in power. He alleged that criminals and mafia elements roamed openly carrying firearms during that period, creating an atmosphere of widespread anxiety and fear across the state. Emphasizing political accountability, Rajbhar argued that the opposition must answer for its past administrative record before raising concerns about contemporary public safety.
Pushback on Vote Theft Allegations and Election Protests
Om Prakash Rajbhar took direct aim at the opposition's demonstrations and recurring accusations of electoral manipulation. He observed that Akhilesh Yadav has remained out of power for an extended duration and must accept the realities of electoral verdicts rather than mounting baseless protests. To support his argument, he cited the specific seat tallies from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Rajbhar highlighted that the 2024 parliamentary contest saw the Samajwadi Party secure 37 seats while the Congress won six seats. Concurrently, the Bharatiya Janata Party saw its tally shift from 303 seats in 2019 down to 240 seats in 2024. He questioned the logic of alleging vote theft when multiple parties secured substantial seat counts across the board. Rajbhar contended that after tasting electoral defeat, making unfounded claims remains the sole strategy left for opposition leaders.
A Direct Electoral Challenge for the Zahoorabad Seat
Turning to public discussions regarding challenging Akhilesh Yadav to contest from Ayodhya, Om Prakash Rajbhar issued his own direct challenge. He declared that if the Samajwadi Party chief hesitates to enter an electoral contest against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he should first test his strength in Ghazipur district's Zahoorabad assembly constituency against Rajbhar himself.
Rajbhar stated that Akhilesh Yadav ought to enter the electoral fray in Zahoorabad before talking about taking on Yogi Adityanath. Within state political circles, Rajbhar's remarks are being viewed as an aggressive bid to corner the Samajwadi Party leadership and assert grassroots electoral dominance in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
