Akhilesh sounds the poll bugle for 2027 UP polls

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday urged party workers to remain vigilant and work towards ensuring victory in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, claiming that the people’s right to vote is the only safeguard for democracy.

Addressing workers at the party’s state headquarters here on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas and Reservation Day (‘Aarakshan Divas’) — which Samajwadi Party observed as “Samvidhan Maanstambh Diwas” — Yadav claimed BJP wanted to bring a delimitation bill after which “there will be no more general elections”.  He, however, did not elaborate on this. Referring to the Cockroach Janta Party protests in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, Yadav congratulated youths over what he described as a “victory”, and alleged that whenever the BJP loses on a given issue, it resorts to character assassination.

“The youth have now shed fear and confusion. This marks the beginning of the BJP’s exit from power,” he said.  He claimed the ruling party had failed to understand the aspirations of the youth, and said the Samajwadi Party had played a significant role in the recent youth movement.

Yadav said the SP had raised the issue of examination paper leaks before other parties, and alleged that the highest number of such incidents had taken place during BJP rule.

He also accused the ruling party of deliberately allowing paper leaks to benefit its own people.

Speaking on Kargil Vijay Diwas, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister paid tribute to the armed forces for their role in the 1999 Kargil War and said the country’s soldiers had defended India’s borders with courage and valour. “We are proud of our armed forces.”

Describing July 26 as a glorious day in Indian history, Yadav said it marked both Kargil Vijay Diwas and the implementation of social justice through reservation.

The Samajwadi Party chief also urged the Centre to come clear on whether India’s territorial area has changed since 2014, in an apparent reference to alleged incursions in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh by China.