Akhilesh hits out at Yogi’s promise of ‘one lakh jobs’ months before assembly polls

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday criticised Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath over his recent promise to provide jobs to one lakh youths in the coming months, questioning the timing of the announcement with the Assembly elections due early next year.

Speaking at a press conference at the SP headquarters, Yadav said the government had little time left to fulfil the promise as the model code of conduct would soon come into force.

“Now, with only a few days left, they are saying that one lakh jobs will be given. After January, the model code of conduct will come into force,” Yadav said.

The Uttar Pradesh assembly elections are scheduled to be held in early 2027.

Yadav also stepped up his attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the ruling party of corruption and alleging that it had “failed the poor”.

Taking a dig at the BJP over allegations of theft of donations at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said the situation reflected a contradiction between the conduct of ordinary people and those allegedly involved in the theft.

“Outside temples, we see a large number of people asking for ‘daan’ (alms). But even a beggar never steals from inside a temple,” he said.

Yadav described the BJP as an “adharmi” (irreligious) party and alleged that those in power were pilfering offerings made to the divine.

He also accused the BJP of misleading the public, referring to the ruling party as “milawati log” (adulterators).

“These adulterators have gone to such an extent that they are even adulterating the petrol we use,” Yadav said, referring to the controversy surrounding E20 fuel.

Yadav also announced that the SP would reopen 26,000 primary schools that he claimed had been closed during the BJP’s tenure if his party returned to power in Uttar Pradesh. He alleged that the closure of government schools had disproportionately affected children belonging to what he calls “PDA” communities — an acronym for Pichhde (backward classes), Dalits and Alpsankhyak (minorities).

“They (BJP) do not want people from PDA communities to become educated,” Yadav alleged.

He said the closure of schools in rural areas had particularly affected girls, arguing that the loss of nearby educational facilities could make it more difficult for them to continue their studies.

The SP chief also reiterated his demand for a caste census and called for greater representation and equitable rights for backward communities.

Drawing on the legacy of Dr BR Ambedkar, Yadav said his party would seek representation based on the population share of different communities.

“Just like Babasaheb Ambedkar spoke about every section of society in the Constitution, the Samajwadi Party would seek representation and rights for communities based on population,” he said.

Yadav’s comments come as political parties in Uttar Pradesh begin sharpening their positions ahead of the 2027 assembly elections, with employment, education, social justice and caste representation emerging as key issues in the political discourse.

With PTI inputs