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The political landscape in Uttar Pradesh is heating up with the upcoming November 20 bypolls for nine Assembly seats. The exchange of barbs between Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has escalated tensions ahead of the crucial elections. The two leaders are engaged in a verbal battle, each attempting to gain a strategic edge over the other.
The latest salvo in this political war of words came from Yogi Adityanath, who launched a scathing attack on the SP, redefining the term 'PDA' (which originally stood for 'Pichhde', Dalits, and 'Alpsankhyak') as the 'Production House of Dangai (rioters) and Apradhi (criminals)'. He alleged that the SP harbored close connections to criminals, effectively portraying the party as a breeding ground for lawbreakers.
Adityanath specifically mentioned notorious criminals like Atiq Ahmad and Khan Mubarak as affiliates of the SP before the BJP government's crackdown. He went on to claim that women in Uttar Pradesh feel threatened by the sight of SP workers and that the party attempted to shield the accused in the Ayodhya rape case. These allegations are aimed at painting the SP as a party that prioritizes criminals and ignores the safety and well-being of the people.
Akhilesh Yadav, instead of engaging in personal attacks, countered Yogi Adityanath's accusations by focusing on the BJP's performance on issues affecting farmers. He specifically highlighted the ongoing shortage of fertilizers like Diammonium Phosphate (DAP), raising concerns about the difficulties faced by farmers in procuring essential agricultural inputs. His post on X (formerly Twitter) hinted at the widespread queues formed by farmers in the state to obtain fertilizers.
Yadav's strategy is to deflect the focus from the SP's alleged association with criminals and instead point fingers at the BJP's shortcomings in addressing critical concerns of farmers. He seeks to garner support from the rural population by emphasizing the BJP's failure to address issues that directly impact their livelihoods. This approach could prove effective in swaying voters in the bypolls, as the agricultural sector plays a vital role in Uttar Pradesh's economy.
The upcoming bypolls are expected to be fiercely contested, as both the BJP and the SP are determined to gain a foothold in the state legislature. The verbal sparring between the two leaders is likely to intensify as the election date nears. The outcome of these bypolls will be closely watched as a barometer of the political sentiment in Uttar Pradesh and will have significant implications for the upcoming state assembly elections in 2027.
Source: Yogi Adityanath calls PDA 'Production house of dangai, apradhi'; Akhilesh Yadav responds