Though the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are due in 2027, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has already begun sowing political discord within the ruling NDA alliance. The latest flashpoint is a controversy involving ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) and UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar. The issue began with a police lathi-charge on ABVP members in Barabanki. Matters escalated after Rajbhar labeled ABVP workers as “goons,” sparking widespread protests and demands for an apology. Demonstrations intensified in Lucknow, where ABVP staged a torch march. Seizing the opportunity, Akhilesh launched a dual attack—criticizing both Rajbhar and CM Yogi Adityanath. He mockingly referred to ABVP as “Akhil Bharatiya Video of Pitai,” and framed the incident as an internal clash between ABVP and Hindu Yuva Vahini, a youth group founded by Yogi. Akhilesh’s political strategy seems clear: drive a wedge within NDA allies and target backward caste leaders like Rajbhar and Sanjay Nishad, whose communities hold sway in eastern UP. Rajbhar’s Rajbhar community forms 15% of voters in Purvanchal, impacting nearly 100 seats. With 2027 on the horizon, Akhilesh aims to rebuild a winning coalition by exploiting internal NDA tensions—possibly luring Rajbhar back into his fold once more.
