Akhilesh targets UP govt over power situation, says BJP leaders hide behind 'symbolic letters'

Uttar Pradesh's Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has accused BJP MLAs and MPs of trying to protect themselves from public anger over the state's electricity crisis.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday alleged that public anger was mounting over a ''major electricity disaster'' in Uttar Pradesh and claimed that BJP MLAs and MPs were trying to protect themselves through ''symbolic letters'' and ''paper shields''.

In a post on X, Yadav, the former chief minister of the state, said that only family members could understand the plight of the elderly, the sick, children, and women struggling with shortages of water and electricity in the extreme heat.

''The letters through which frightened BJP MLAs and MPs are trying to protect themselves are not public interest communications to their own government, but applications seeking tickets from the opposition for the upcoming elections after abandoning the sinking ship called BJP,'' Yadav said.

He further said that there was no place in his alliance for leaders ''who have given the public nothing except pain, suffering and hardship.''.

In an apparent swipe at Energy Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma, a former bureaucrat-turned-politician, Yadav said, ''Those who once searched for an 'officer' instead of an opportunity during a crisis are now finding that the same officer has himself become a disaster.

''Problems cannot be solved by people who raise slogans and escape after throwing up their hands when asked for solutions,'' he said.

Questioning internal coordination in the BJP government, Yadav asked why the public should suffer because of the ''clash'' between the BJP's ''double-engine'' governments.

He further remarked that the situation provided an opportunity to remove a ''completely failed messenger-minister'', adding that it would also give the chief minister an opportunity to expand the cabinet and accommodate some ''disgruntled'' leaders waiting for power.

The SP president alleged that the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh was aware that it would not return to power and was therefore ignoring public hardships while focusing only on ''filling its coffers''.

He concluded the post with the slogan: ''People everywhere are saying today that the BJP has become a burden.''