Yogi and Akhilesh escalate a war of words ahead of the by-elections

As the by-elections to 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh approach, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and former Prime Minister Akhilesh Yadav have stepped up their attacks on each other, signaling an intense political confrontation. The two leaders exchanged sharp remarks, with phrases like kutte ki puchh (dog’s tail), ‘mafia’ and ‘naak ragadna (nose rubbing) finding their way into the heated exchange, marking a new high in political rhetoric.

Yogi Adityanath focuses on criticizing the Samajwadi Party (SP) tenure during his public rallies, while Akhilesh Yadav focuses directly on Yogi at press conferences and through social media platforms like ‘X’. Yogi’s style is typically aggressive, while Akhilesh opts for a more sarcastic, yet calculated approach. Yogi leans heavily on his Hindutva agenda and highlights the law and order situation during the SP rule, while Akhilesh portrays the BJP government as authoritarian and uses police power to rule.

Yogi Adityanath’s speech in Poll-Bound Haryana

Aggression increases as trust increases

Akhilesh Yadav, who has traditionally been cautious in his direct attacks on the chief minister, has become significantly more aggressive. This shift is attributed to the SP’s strong performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections where they secured 37 of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, reducing the BJP’s tally to 33 from the earlier 62 seats. This victory not only revived the SP’s position but also boosted Akhilesh’s confidence, paving the way for more direct confrontations with Yogi Adityanath.

The 2024 Lok Sabha results have reshaped the political landscape in UP. For the first time in years, after a series of defeats in both state and national elections, the SP regained ground and emerged as a formidable challenger. Akhilesh’s aggressive stance is a reflection of this renewed confidence as his party eyes victory in the 2027 Assembly elections.

Verbal sparring will likely continue until 2027

Political analysts predict that this ongoing war of words will intensify and continue until the 2027 parliamentary elections. On the one hand, Akhilesh Yadav has consolidated his strategy around the PDA (Backward, Dalit and Minority) formula, aiming to create a solid voter base. On the other hand, the BJP is still figuring out how to counter this strategy effectively, leaning heavily on its core issues of Hindutva and nationalism, with Yogi Adityanath as its main face in the state.

The BJP is gearing up to battle the elections by positioning Yogi as the champion of Hindutva and a symbol of nationalism. Akhilesh Yadav’s SP, on the other hand, is building momentum by emphasizing inclusivity and criticizing the BJP’s governance style, which he portrays as dictatorial.

A precedent of bitter exchanges

This is not the first time that Yogi and Akhilesh have had sharp verbal exchanges. During the 2022 UP elections, both leaders launched one-liners on Twitter (now ‘X’), targeting each other. In one instance, Yogi called the SP’s ideology a mix of ‘Chola Samajwadi’, ‘loose thinking’ and ‘Tamanchawadi’ (gun culture politics). Akhilesh responded in his usual sarcastic style by criticizing Yogi’s governance and noted that “Baba Ji” had lost support even within his own party.

Why has this war of words become more intense now?

One of the main reasons for this increased rhetoric is the upcoming by-elections, which have become a prestige issue for Yogi Adityanath. After the BJP’s setback in the Lok Sabha elections, winning these by-elections is crucial for Yogi to regain political ground. Yogi’s aggressive campaign reflects his Lok Sabha election strategy, in which he took a strong stand against SP rule.

At the same time, Akhilesh Yadav’s confidence comes from his party’s improved performance, and he is using this momentum to unite his voter base and prepare for a bigger fight in 2027. Political analysts suggest that this altercation will not subside anytime soon. Instead, it will likely escalate as both leaders prepare for future elections.

According to political analyst Ram Dutt Tripathi, such intense political exchanges are relatively new in UP politics, especially the direct verbal attacks between the two leaders. The current political scenario reflects not only a struggle for power, but also for control over narratives that appeal to their respective voter bases.

As the by-elections draw closer, both Yogi Adityanath and Akhilesh Yadav are expected to continue to sharpen their rhetoric, trying to outwit each other in this high-stakes political game, which looks set to continue till the 2027 Assembly elections.

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