Will directly take oath as LS MP: Akhilesh quips on contesting UP 2027 polls

• Akhilesh Yadav indicated he would not contest the 2027 UP assembly elections, saying he would become chief minister directly while remaining a Lok Sabha MP

• Recalling his 2012 political journey, Yadav said he could follow a similar route if the SP returns to power

• He attacked the BJP over alleged misgovernance and claimed it may drop around 200 sitting MLAs ahead of the 2027 polls

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has indicated that he will not contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, saying he would instead take oath as chief minister directly while continuing as a Lok Sabha member.

Speaking to reporters during his visit to Varanasi on Tuesday, Yadav was asked whether he would contest the next year's Assembly elections, possibly from a constituency in the city.

Responding in his characteristic witty style, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, "We become chief minister when we do not contest elections. So, we will do what is auspicious for us."

He further recalled his political journey in 2012, when he became chief minister despite being a Lok Sabha member from Kannauj. Indicating that he intended to follow a similar route in 2027, Yadav said he would take the oath as chief minister directly from Parliament.

When asked which assembly seat the Samajwadi Party would contest in Varanasi, Yadav turned the question back to the journalist, asking him to suggest a constituency.

Yadav became Uttar Pradesh's chief minister on 15 March 2012, at the age of 38, after the Samajwadi Party secured 224 of the 403 assembly seats. At the time, he was a Lok Sabha MP and had not contested the assembly elections. He subsequently resigned from the Lok Sabha and entered the state legislature through the Legislative Council.

He later contested the 2022 assembly elections from Karhal in Mainpuri and won the seat. Following his return to the Lok Sabha from Kannauj in 2024, he is currently serving as a Member of Parliament.

His latest remarks suggest that he may once again focus on leading the party's election campaign rather than contesting an assembly constituency himself.

During his Varanasi visit, Yadav also launched a fresh attack on the BJP, accusing the ruling party of misgovernance and electoral malpractice.

He referred to the recent Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections, in which the Samajwadi Party won both the Teachers' and Graduates' constituencies in Varanasi, describing the victories as a double blessing from Baba Vishwanath.

The SP chief also claimed that the BJP was considering dropping around 200 sitting MLAs, including ministers, from its candidate list for the 2027 assembly elections. This claim has not been independently established.

Yadav said the Samajwadi Party would select candidates based on their winnability and focus on strengthening its organisation ahead of the polls.

The 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections will be held for all 403 seats, with the Samajwadi Party seeking to challenge the BJP government led by chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

With Yadav indicating that he may not enter the electoral fray himself, his remarks have brought renewed attention to the SP's leadership and campaign strategy ahead of the crucial state elections.

With PTI inputs