Noida, March 29 Those who spoke about winning 400 seats to change the Constitution have been defeated, but the danger will remain as long as the BJP is in power, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said on Sunday, launching a scathing attack on the ruling party as he kicked off the campaign for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh election.
Addressing a rally in Dadri, Yadav countered Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks a day earlier at the inauguration of the Noida International Airport, alleging that several airports inaugurated by the BJP were not operational.
"Earlier, they also inaugurated airports, but out of seven, six are not functional," he claimed and said the government should have assured that the airport would "not be sold later." He also promised fair compensation to farmers for land acquisition once his party comes to power.
These remarks came a day after Prime Minister Modi, while inaugurating the airport in Jewar, targeted the Samajwadi Party (SP), alleging that it had turned Noida into an "ATM for looting" during its tenure. He had also taken a dig at opposition leaders for allegedly avoiding Gautam Buddh Nagar due to "superstitions."
Hitting back, Yadav said, "Yesterday, it was said that we do not visit Noida. I want to remind them that I have visited the homes of my party workers here more times than the number of cups of tea they have consumed together."
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister credited his party's previous government for development in the region, including metro connectivity linking Delhi and Noida.
"Our government took several decisions for the development of Noida. They have nothing to show, which is why they are making such statements," he said.
He also claimed that the SP played a key role in facilitating approvals for the Jewar airport project.
"If anyone worked to secure the necessary clearances for the airport, it was the Samajwadi Party. That is why the project has materialized today," he said.
Yadav alleged that the BJP rally at the airport inauguration was attended by "paid supporters" and described the ruling party as a "dry clean party." He claimed that the event was "government-driven" and that crowds were mobilized using official machinery.
"No one can escape the camera. People did not come on their own; they were brought. The party, which claims to be the largest in the world, had to depend on government employees to gather crowds," he alleged.
In an apparent reference to a recent controversy at the AI summit in Delhi, Yadav claimed that students from a private university were also brought to attend the rally and were given leave after participation. He said such practices would have political consequences for the BJP.
Questioning the airport inauguration, Yadav claimed that earlier airport projects had failed to become operational and such events raised concerns about future privatization.
"At least a promise should have been made that this airport will not be sold later," he said.
He said people in the region were becoming politically aware and increasingly aligning with the PDA (Pichhde, Dalit and Alpsankhyak) plank.
The SP event, called the 'Samajwadi Samta Bhaichara Rally', saw a large turnout of supporters, with party workers, MPs and MLAs present. Yadav also paid tribute to Emperor Mihir Bhoj at the venue.
Focusing on the issue of social justice, he reiterated his party's 'PDA' plank.
"The PDA movement is not for one or two elections, but a long struggle against historical injustice," he said, adding that "pain is the thread that unites" backward classes, Dalits and minorities.
He alleged that large sections of society continued to face discrimination and indignity. "Those who have not faced injustice cannot understand this pain. We have to bring change, even if it takes years or decades," he said.
Yadav also claimed that a small section of society exploits the majority and deprives them of their rights, stressing the need to end inequality through sustained struggle.
He alleged that the Constitution was under threat and said, "Those who talked about winning 400 seats to change the Constitution have been defeated, but the danger will remain as long as the BJP is in power."
Describing the protection of the Constitution as a "matter of life and death" for PDA communities, he asserted that his party would continue its fight against inequality and injustice.
In a separate remark, Yadav alleged that certain recent exercises were attempts to implement measures similar to the NRC.
Calling for political change, Yadav said the rally was not just a gathering but a call to bring a government based on social justice in the state.
"Form our government in 2027 and we will install statues honouring the leaders of PDA communities at the riverfront in Lucknow," he said.
The SP emerged as the single largest party in UP in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, bagging 37 seats. This was the best performance in the Lok Sabha elections by the party, which had won five seats in the 2019 election.
The BJP tally in the 2024 Lok Sabha election in UP dropped to 33 from 62 in 2019. The politically crucial state sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha.
Yadav also promised that if voted to power, his party would ensure fair compensation to farmers for land acquisition at market rates.