Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Uttar Pradesh government, accusing the BJP-led administration of corruption, misgovernance, and looting over its eight-year tenure.

Taking a dig at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s claims of "service, safety, and good governance," Yadav said, “The people of Kannauj voted for development, but those boasting of eight years of achievements have kept the region disconnected from progress. The corruption and looting in this government are unprecedented. After eight years, even the UP police now have to file an FIR to catch their own IAS officer.”

Also read: 

He further criticized the BJP government for celebrating its so-called achievements while an IAS officer linked to alleged corruption remains on the run.

The remarks came just days after CM Yogi Adityanath lauded his government’s performance on its eighth anniversary (March 24). During a special event to mark the occasion, Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, Minister Brajesh Pathak, and other key leaders were in attendance.

"Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, we have completed eight years of service, safety, and good governance in Uttar Pradesh. The double-engine government is transforming the state, and I thank the 25 crore people of UP for their support," said CM Yogi at the press conference.

Drawing comparisons with previous administrations, Adityanath claimed that UP once suffered from an "identity crisis," adding, "Eight years ago, the state's infrastructure, economy, and law and order were in shambles. Farmers were committing suicide, youth were struggling, traders and women were unsafe, and riots were common. Today, the same state has seen remarkable progress due to a change in governance."

Also read: 

Yogi Adityanath first became Uttar Pradesh CM in 2017 after the BJP secured a landslide victory, winning 312 out of 403 seats despite not announcing a CM candidate beforehand. In 2022, he led the party to another decisive victory, winning 255 seats, making him the first CM in UP’s history to serve two consecutive terms.