Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav launched a fierce critique of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) while setting an ambitious agenda for his own party workers for the coming year. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister addressed legislators, MPs, and party cadres at the SP state headquarters in Lucknow on Thursday, extending New Year greetings alongside a call to action.
Renewed Energy and a Path of Ideals
Akhilesh Yadav urged all party members to unite and work with fresh vigour and dedication to serve the people and uphold the principle of social justice. He emphasized that the new year should bring a renewed commitment to public service.
He called upon the workers to follow the ideological footsteps of stalwarts like B.R. Ambedkar, Ram Manohar Lohia, and Mulayam Singh Yadav. The SP leader stressed that their teachings are crucial to guiding both society and the nation towards a future of prosperity and equality.
A Scathing Indictment of the BJP Government
In his address, Akhilesh Yadav mounted a direct attack on the BJP-led government, labelling it as "negative, oppressive, and corrupt." He alleged that under its rule, critical issues have spiralled out of control.
"Inflation, unemployment, injustice, and exploitation have reached alarming levels, leaving the common citizen distressed," he claimed. Yadav expressed confidence that the 2027 elections would see the removal of the BJP from power, citing its alleged failures across all sectors.
He presented a detailed list of accusations against the government:
- Law and order has weakened, with mismanagement in handling cybercrime and fraud cases, compromising public safety.
- Emergency services like Dial 100 and 1090 have been poorly managed.
- The education and healthcare infrastructure has been destroyed.
- Illegal land grabs are being encouraged in the name of development, threatening public lands and the Aravalli hills.
- Rivers like the Ganga, Gomti, and Yamuna are being polluted.
- Farmers are denied fair crop prices, and essential agricultural inputs are either delayed or sold at inflated rates.
Yadav further accused the BJP of being anti-backward, anti-Dalit, and anti-minority. He alleged that the government had withdrawn 30,000 jobs meant for the poor and backward classes (PDA) and was attempting to undermine constitutional rights and the empowerment of marginalised communities.
SP's Promises and the Road to 2027
Contrasting the BJP's record, Akhilesh Yadav outlined the alternative vision of a Samajwadi Party government. He highlighted the current administration's failures in public welfare, noting that no new power plants were established and electricity production did not increase, leading to high bills and erratic supply for people.
He promised that under an SP regime, women would receive Rs 40,000 annually as financial support, farmers would be guaranteed fair prices for their produce, and all public services would be restored with a focus on transparency and accountability.
The meeting was attended by prominent SP leaders, including national general secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav, leader of opposition Mata Prasad Pandey, MP RK Chaudhary, national secretary Rajendra Chaudhary, state president Shyam Lal Pal, and former ministers Balram Yadav and Ambika Chaudhary.
The gathering in Lucknow sets the stage for the Samajwadi Party's aggressive campaign leading up to the crucial 2027 state elections, positioning itself as the primary opposition fighting for social justice and against the alleged misrule of the BJP.
