Amethi (UP), April 7 Posters and banners targeting Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav have appeared in various locations here, sparking a political controversy months before the 2027 Assembly elections.
The posters, displayed outside the Amethi railway station and at various intersections, feature the slogan "What do you want? Akhilesh's Lyari rule."
"Lyari" refers to a locality in Karachi, Pakistan, which was once known for gang wars and violence, and is also mentioned in the Bollywood film "Dhurandhar".
The hoardings, allegedly put up by a group calling itself "Youth Against Mafia", also juxtapose alleged incidents of violence and riots during Yadav's tenure as chief minister with the current government's crackdown on mafia and criminals under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The names and photographs of the organization's office-bearers, including its executive president, general secretary, and Pratapgarh in-charge, are also displayed on the posters.
The Samajwadi Party condemned the move, alleging political vendetta. District spokesperson advocate Rajesh Mishra said the posters reflected the "frustration and desperation" of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.
He claimed that the BJP was resorting to such tactics because it had realized that it would not return to power, adding that the public was aware of these "attempts to mislead".
Amethi police station in-charge Ravi Singh said that the police had received information about the posters and a team had been sent to the location.
He said that further action would be taken after an investigation.