Akhilesh Yadav has been facing claims of dissension in his Samajwadi Party and its alliance after the recent assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh. There have been rumblings of discontent among Muslim leaders and also bickering from Shivpal Yadav, his uncle who had contested the elections on an SP ticket.
On Sunday, Om Prakash Rajbhar, leader of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), criticised Akhilesh as being aloof. The SBSP had contested the recent assembly polls in alliance with the SP and won six out of 19 seats. Rajbhar had been a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government from 2017 to 2019, before he parted ways with the BJP.
Rajbhar had told members of his party in Mau on Sunday that Akhilesh had become “too used to air-conditioned rooms”.
Rajbhar told PTI “His (Akhilesh Yadav's) party leaders complain that he does not meet anyone. He should venture out more often to constituencies. His leaders have told me that I should advise him so that he meets people, strengthens his party and shun his navratnas (nine gems) who surround him.”
Rajbhar claimed “The people were ready to vote for him, but he was not ready to take votes.”
After his comments triggered a controversy, Rajbhar repeated on Monday his claim Samajwadi Party leaders had complained to him about Akhilesh not venturing out. “When SP leaders meet me, they ask me to tell their leader to step out of his house and go among public, just like I do. So, I said that Akhilesh Yadav needs to step out and go among public. A series of meetings needs to be started and strengthening of the party is needed,” Rajbhar was quoted as saying by ANI.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla tweeted on Monday “SP Ally OP Rajbhar says Akhilesh Yadav is too used to AC & isn’t hitting the streets..Well 'family first' parties usually spend 4.5 years in foreign tour/AC/vacation/ party mode... Last 6 months before election they go into campaign mode...
Right now Babua is in Vacation mode.”
Times Now reported on Monday that Akhilesh had responded cryptically to Rajbhar. “If he [Rajbhar] is saying this, it's good,” Akhilesh was quoted as saying by Times Now.
