BJP putting up ‘fake’ posters to create rift in INDIA bloc, claims Akhilesh

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday accused the BJP of putting up "fake" posters to create differences within the opposition INDIA bloc ahead of next year's Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, and demanded action against municipal officials for allegedly allowing their display without payment of prescribed fees.

The controversy erupted after posters and hoardings carrying the slogan "200 seat haq hai hamara, UP ko hai Rahul Gandhi par bharosa" appeared in Lucknow and other districts. The posters featured images of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and local leaders, apparently projecting the Congress' demand for around 200 seats in its proposed alliance with the SP.

In a post on X, Yadav alleged that the BJP was behind the campaign and was attempting to create a rift between the two opposition partners.

Claiming that the BJP was worried about the alliance, the SP chief said the posters had been displayed without official permission or payment of the requisite charges.

𝗔𝗸𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Yadav demanded the suspension of municipal officials who allegedly failed to act against the unauthorised display of posters and hoardings.

He claimed that the non-payment of prescribed fees was causing revenue losses to local bodies and alleged that avoiding payment could also be an attempt to conceal the identities of those behind the campaign.

The former chief minister said the SP was maintaining a date-wise record of such incidents and the officials allegedly responsible for them.

He warned that if voted to power, an SP-led PDA government would investigate officials involved in corruption and activate agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation and Economic Offences Wing to examine their conduct.

PDA, an acronym coined by Yadav, stands for 'Pichhde' (backward classes), Dalits and 'Alpsankhyak' (minorities).

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝘀

Congress' Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam maintained that the INDIA bloc remained united and its political struggle was centred on protecting social justice, democracy and the Constitution.

In a post on X, Gautam said the BJP could attempt to spread confusion or hatch conspiracies but would not succeed in weakening the opposition alliance.

"The INDIA bloc is united, and it will remain united," he asserted.

His remarks came amid discussions between the Congress and SP over seat-sharing arrangements for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘁-𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻

The Congress has formally initiated seat-sharing negotiations with the SP and submitted an initial list of constituencies where it believes it can make an electoral impact as part of the alliance.

Gautam recently told PTI that the party had submitted a list covering approximately 175 to 200 seats out of the 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.

"I can't give you the exact numbers, but we have submitted a list for 175 to 200 seats," he said, indicating that the Congress was open to negotiations.

The list was shared with SP leaders earlier this week, and representatives of both parties are expected to hold detailed discussions on the proposed arrangements.

However, sources indicated that several SP leaders were unconvinced about the Congress' electoral strength to justify a demand for such a large number of seats.

The Congress has struggled to regain its former political position in Uttar Pradesh since losing power in 1989.

In the 2017 Assembly elections, it secured seven seats, while its performance declined further in 2022, when it contested independently and won only two constituencies.

However, the 2024 Lok Sabha election results have strengthened the party's expectations of a more substantial role within the alliance.

In those elections, the Congress won six parliamentary seats in Uttar Pradesh, while its ally SP secured 37, restricting the BJP to 33 seats.

Congress leaders believe the parliamentary election performance provides a basis for seeking a larger share of Assembly constituencies, although the final arrangement will depend on negotiations between the two parties.