Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday launched a sharp attack on UP govt, alleging that the expansion of the state cabinet would only lead to a further rise in inflation, corruption and public exploitation rather than improving governance.Questioning the effectiveness of the cabinet expansion ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, Akhilesh said the BJP govt failed to deliver for the people even after nine years in power and claimed that adding more ministers in the “last nine months” would not change the situation on the ground.“If the BJP govt could not do anything for the people in nine years, what will these ministers achieve in the last few months? They will only continue increasing corruption, inflation and unemployment,” he said.The SP chief alleged that corruption and atrocities reached their peak under the BJP govt and claimed that the PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) community was facing systematic injustice.“The public is distressed, development works have come to a standstill and the govt is looting the public budget while also cutting into the pockets of ordinary people,” he alleged.Akhilesh also targeted the state govt over alleged irregularities in the Jal Jeevan Mission, claiming that repeated incidents of collapsing water tanks reflected corruption in implementation of the scheme.“Water tanks under the Jal Jeevan Mission are unable to bear the burden of BJP corruption,” he remarked.He further alleged that the health and education sectors in the state were “ruined” due to commission-based functioning and profiteering, which, according to him, worsened inflation and corruption.The former CM also accused the govt of using smart electricity meters to financially burden consumers while benefiting industrialists.“Through smart meters, the BJP govt is taking money out of the pockets of electricity consumers and putting it into the pockets of industrialists,” he alleged.Akhilesh claimed the ruling party was indulging in “reservation scams” in govt jobs and attempting to deprive people of their rights.He said the BJP was “afraid” of the Samajwadi Party’s PDA politics and asserted that backward classes, Dalits and minorities were uniting against the ruling party.“The PDA society understands the BJP’s politics and will defeat every conspiracy and plot of the ruling party,” he said.Promising welfare measures if the Samajwadi Party returns to power, Akhilesh said his party would ensure rights, dignity and justice for PDA communities, provide free treatment to the poor and offer free education for girls from KG to PG level.He also spoke philosophically about greed, selfishness and moral transformation, saying a person’s “greed and temptation” ultimately lead to misconduct, while selflessness and public service could bring meaningful change.“Even a few good qualities can triumph over hundreds of flaws. One needs inner light for self-realisation and repentance,” he said, concluding with the Sanskrit phrase “Tamaso Ma Jyotirgamaya” — meaning “Lead me from darkness to light.”
