The political scene in Uttar Pradesh has intensified as on Monday Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate Tej Pratap Yadav filed his nomination from the Karhal assembly constituency in Mainpuri where bye-elections are due on November 13.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, accompanied by Dimple Yadav, Professor Ram Gopal Yadav, Shivpal Yadav, and Dharmendra Yadav, was present during the nomination process.
Addressing the media after Tej Pratap's nomination, Akhilesh Yadav took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of orchestrating riots in Bahraich to gain political mileage. “BJP deliberately caused riots so that they could benefit politically. When questions are asked of the government, they remain silent,” he said.
Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP of trying to undermine the SP's prospects in the by-election by spreading fear. He alleged that the BJP was now avoiding any mention of the People's Democratic Alliance (PDA). “The BJP is scared of PDA in the by-election. Now, they have even forgotten to mention PDA,” he said adding , “BJP has hatched this conspiracy to avoid answering questions and gain political advantage.”
He further criticized media coverage, highlighting that channels were focusing on trivial matters like the size of Tej Pratap’s tilak rather than discussing development issues. “The BJP has worked to hinder the development of the socialists,” he said.
He refrained from directly addressing the status of the SP's alliance with Congress, stating only that discussions are ongoing.Tej Pratap Yadav is contesting from the Karhal assembly seat, a constituency that has been a traditional stronghold for the SP. Akhilesh Yadav expressed confidence that Tej Pratap would win with a significant majority, noting that the people of Mainpuri have always stood by the Samajwadi Party and its founder, the late Mulayam Singh Yadav.
“The people of Karhal have always chosen the Samajwadi Party. This time, there will be more support than before, leading to a historic result in the election,” he said.
The SP chief’s critique extended beyond the immediate electoral context to broader issues like agricultural policies and cybercrime.
He emphasized that the BJP government’s promises of doubling farmers’ incomes remain unfulfilled. “Development packages are often announced, but farmers are not getting fair prices for their crops. This is a big question that the government needs to answer,” he said.
He also raised concerns over the increasing incidents of cybercrime in Uttar Pradesh, attributing it to the misuse of technology. Citing international examples, he pointed out, “Countries like Germany have declared the use of many technical devices unconstitutional, but such incidents are increasing rapidly in India.
This is a matter of concern, and the government should address it.” Professor Ram Gopal Yadav, in his remarks, expressed confidence in a one-sided victory for SP in Karhal, stating, “BJP should make arrangements to save its deposit.”
He referenced BJP’s previous claim of winning all 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state and suggested that the ruling party is struggling in Karhal.
Tej Pratap Yadav, the SP candidate, added that the BJP has yet to finalize a candidate to contest against him in Karhal, signaling what he described as a lack of preparedness on their part.
