Akhilesh Yadav Accuses BJP of Poaching MLAs, Electoral Malpractices; Dismisses Split Rumours

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday dismissed rumours of an internal split and launched a series of allegations against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of orchestrating defections, poaching legislators, and engaging in electoral malpractices in Uttar Pradesh. His remarks came in response to claims by Uttar Pradesh Minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, who had suggested that a major division was developing within the SP. Yadav, a Lok Sabha MP, refuted Rajbhar’s assertions, asserting that the party remains united and strong.

\"For the BJP, ‘dharm’ means ‘dhan’,\" Yadav told reporters, using Hindi terms for religion and wealth. He alleged that the saffron party has a history of splitting political outfits and had previously poached SP MLAs and MLCs in the state. Without providing specific proof, he claimed that similar tactics were being repeated, but emphasised that the SP would not be affected. \"We have full confidence in our workers and leaders; there is no question of any split. These are baseless rumours spread by our opponents,\" Yadav said.

The SP chief then turned to the issue of recent elections, specifically mentioning the Kundarki bypoll and other contests where, he alleged, irregularities occurred. \"Just as they acted dishonestly in Kundarki and other elections where malpractice took place, the CCTV footage from those places was never found. The CCTV footage is missing, absent, lost,\" Yadav claimed. He suggested that the absence of video evidence was deliberate, stating: \"Because if the CCTV footage comes out, the truth behind ‘CC’ will be exposed. That is why the CCTV footage is missing.\" When pressed by journalists, Yadav elaborated that ‘CC’ stood for \"Chadhawa Chori\" and \"Chanda Chori\"—alleging theft of religious offerings and political donations, respectively. He did not provide evidence to support these accusations.

The term \"Chadhawa\" typically refers to offerings made at temples or to religious figures, while \"Chanda\" means contribution or donation, often used in the context of political funding. Yadav’s remarks appeared to imply that the BJP had misappropriated such funds and sought to hide evidence by ensuring CCTV cameras were not functional or their recordings were unavailable. The Election Commission of India mandates the use of CCTV cameras at sensitive polling stations to ensure transparency, but in some cases, technical glitches or other reasons have been cited for missing footage.

Yadav’s allegations come against the backdrop of a long history of political defections and accusations of horse-trading in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP has been accused by opposition parties on multiple occasions of engineering splits and inducing MLAs to switch loyalties, often resulting in the weakening of regional forces. In 2017, the SP faced a similar crisis when several of its legislators joined the BJP, and the party has consistently accused the ruling dispensation of using central agencies to pressure opponents. The BJP, however, has dismissed such charges, maintaining that defections are voluntary and reflect the growing appeal of its governance model under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. As of the publication of this report, the BJP had not responded to Yadav’s latest statements.

Om Prakash Rajbhar, whose party was formerly allied with the SP but is now a BJP ally, had stated over the weekend that \"a major split is brewing\" within the Samajwadi Party, claiming that several senior leaders were unhappy with the leadership. Rajbhar’s comments were seen as an attempt to create confusion within the opposition ranks ahead of upcoming electoral battles. Yadav’s swift denial and counter-offensive highlight the heightened political temperature in the state, where both camps are gearing up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and subsequent state assembly polls. Political analysts note that such verbal exchanges are common in the run-up to elections, often serving as a strategy to divert attention or rally one’s own supporters.

The SP, which leads a coalition of smaller parties in Uttar Pradesh, has been striving to present a united front against the BJP. Recent moves by Akhilesh Yadav to consolidate the party organisation and reach out to backward communities indicate an effort to expand its base. Meanwhile, the BJP continues to reinforce its message of development and nationalism, and has expanded its electoral footprint through strategic alliances, including with Rajbhar’s SBSP. The coming weeks are likely to witness more such political sparring as each side seeks to gain public favour.