Akhilesh Yadav, the chief of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and an ally of the Congress in the INDIA bloc, has taken a fresh jibe at the grand old party over its recent announcement of conducting a caste census in all states under its rule. Yadav’s comments come amidst political discussions and speculations surrounding the forthcoming assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh.
Yadav referred to the Congress’s decision to conduct a caste census as a “miracle” and suggested that the Congress is now aware that to succeed, it needs the support of backward castes. He commented, “It’s a miracle that now the Congress party wants a caste census. [It] is now aware that the vote they were searching for is not with them anymore.” He pointed out that the same Congress party did not share the numbers of the previous caste census, hinting at the Karnataka caste census conducted during the previous Congress government’s tenure, the results of which have not been made public.
Responding to Kamal Nath’s remark, “Akhilesh Vakhilesh,” Yadav quipped, “Kamal Nath is right, who is Vakhilesh? But Akhilesh exists, [and] I can give an answer [to his statement] but I won’t.” He also noted that the SP has a good relationship with Nath, stating, “His name carries ‘Kamal’ (a reference to the lotus, the symbol of the BJP), so he will obviously say Akhilesh only…he won’t be saying Vakhilesh,” adding a hint of sarcasm to his response.
Additionally, Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav referred to Kamal Nath as a “Chhutbhaiya” leader when asked about his remarks on the SP. He responded, “I don’t want to say anything. They are ‘Chhutbhaiya’ leaders,” in a curt manner.
Akhilesh Yadav had earlier criticized the Congress for its reluctance to join hands with regional parties to defeat the BJP in assembly polls. He expressed his lack of understanding regarding the Congress’s reluctance and highlighted that the SP was the first to extend support to the Congress after the 2018 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, which contributed to the Congress’s victory at the time.
Moreover, Yadav called out Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Ajay Rai for suggesting that the SP support the Congress in the upcoming assembly polls. He even referred to Rai as a “chirkut” and alleged that Congress leaders were in collusion with the BJP.
Kamal Nath, on the other hand, dismissed any discussion about Akhilesh Yadav, stating, “Arey bhai chhoro Akhilesh Vakhilesh,” during a media interaction in Chhindwara.
The SP has thus far announced its candidates in 33 constituencies for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, scheduled for November 17, 2023.