Akhilesh Yadav Backs INDIA Bloc Unity for 2027 UP Polls, Criticizes BJP on Waqf Bill, Kumbh Management
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): the midst of ongoing speculation over the future of the INDIA bloc, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav reaffirmed that the alliance will remain intact for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2027. Speaking at a press conference in Prayagraj, Yadav took aim at the BJP, accusing it of acting like a "land mafia" through the introduction of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
"The BJP has brought the Waqf Amendment Bill so that it can snatch away land. Wherever they see land, they occupy it," Yadav alleged. He emphasized that the PDA (an acronym for Backwards, Dalits, and Minorities) will be the driving force behind uprooting the BJP in the upcoming state elections.
Yadav also directed sharp criticism at the BJP government's handling of preparations for the upcoming Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. He accused the administration of mismanagement and promised an investigation if the SP comes to power. “When drones and CCTVs were needed the most (at the time of the stampede), they were either closed or were shut down,” he said. Yadav further claimed that the government gave misleading data on casualties and financial details, and alleged that families of victims were pressured to alter the official cause of death.
During the press interaction, he distributed a booklet outlining his proposals for the 2025 Prayagraj Maha Kumbh, which he had earlier shared on social media. He also referenced a Harvard University study on the 2013 Kumbh Mela to support his arguments on better event planning. Yadav was in Prayagraj to attend the wedding of the SP state president’s daughter.
This statement comes after a strong performance by the SP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where it won 37 seats in Uttar Pradesh — its best-ever result. Its alliance partner, the Congress, secured 6 more seats, taking the INDIA bloc’s total in the state to 43. The outcome dealt a significant blow to the BJP, which had anticipated a dominant victory in the state.
