‘Badi der kar di’: Akhilesh jabs Shah on UCC, Yogi on Gorakhpur vs Varanasi

• Akhilesh Yadav accuses Yogi Adityanath of manipulating the Gorakhpur-Faizabad teachers’ constituency poll.

• BJP won six of 11 UP MLC seats, while the SP secured five, including both seats in the Varanasi region.

• SP chief alleges BJP victories were secured through ‘deceit’ and vows to strengthen the PDA campaign for social justice.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday, 30 October took a musical dig at Union home minister Amit Shah over his promise to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Uttar Pradesh if the BJP returns to power, quipping, “Badi der kar di meherban aate-aate (it took you too long to arrive, O gracious one).”

Asked at a press conference in Lucknow about Shah’s announcement, Yadav appeared to question why the BJP had waited until the run-up to the Assembly elections to make the promise, despite having governed the state for two consecutive terms.

When a journalist pointed out that the original Hindi film song used the word ‘huzoor (sir)’ rather than ‘meherban’, the SP chief replied, “Thank you for correcting me. But don’t make me say huzoor. Meherban is fine.”

Shah had earlier announced at the BJP’s state working committee meeting in Lucknow that the party would implement the UCC in Uttar Pradesh if it returned to power after the Assembly elections, scheduled for early next year.

The Union home minister also launched a sharp attack on Yadav, predicting that the SP would remain out of power for the next 30 years. “Akhilesh babu, mark my words, your party will not form the government in Uttar Pradesh for the next 30 years. The people will not forgive even your third generation,” Shah said.

Akhilesh accuses Yogi of prioritising Gorakhpur

Yadav also targeted chief minister Yogi Adityanath over the BJP’s performance in the recently concluded Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections, alleging that the chief minister had ensured the party’s victory in the Gorakhpur-Faizabad teachers’ constituency at the cost of losing both MLC seats in the Varanasi region.

Speaking after meeting party-backed winners and other candidates at the SP headquarters in Lucknow, Yadav alleged that Adityanath had prioritised protecting his political stronghold over the BJP’s prospects elsewhere.

“The chief minister was moving his chess horse in different directions. The outcome was that he seemed to be saying, ‘Let Kashi drown, but our Gorakhpur business must not stop’,” Yadav said.

He alleged that SP candidate Sanjayan Tripathi was “not allowed” to win the Gorakhpur-Faizabad teachers’ constituency. Tripathi, who joined the SP after leaving the BJP and finished third in the contest, was also present at the meeting.

Taking a swipe at the BJP over its performance in the Varanasi region, Yadav said, “Those who kept talking about a double engine and multiple engines have been given a double zero by the voters of Varanasi this time.”

The BJP won six of the 11 MLC seats, while the SP secured five — two more than it had won in 2020. Polling was held on October 23. The SP won three graduates’ constituencies — Allahabad-Jhansi, Lucknow and Varanasi — and two teachers’ constituencies, Varanasi and Agra.

Yadav alleged that the BJP had won its six seats through manipulation, while the SP’s victories reflected public support.

“SP leaders and workers have won with the strength of the people, while the BJP has won its six seats through deceit. Had it not resorted to such tactics, it might not have won even six seats,” he said.

Claiming that the BJP had suffered a wider setback than the five seats it lost, Yadav said, “They may have lost only five seats, but they have lost in 50 cities and 50 districts.”

He said the results were only the beginning of the SP’s efforts to strengthen the PDA — a political grouping of backward classes, Dalits and minorities — and pledged to continue the fight for social justice and democracy.

Yadav also invoked former US President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, saying, “‘Government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth’. Our party workers have fought for democracy and shown it in this election. We will continue this fight and strengthen democracy, save the voice of the people.”

He further took a swipe at Adityanath, saying the chief minister would now have to decide whether to travel by expressway or book a seat on a train. Yadav dubbed the BJP’s performance a “flop show”.