Akhilesh Yadav Criticizes UP Deputy CM for Praising 'Double Engine' Government After Election Defeats

Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav criticized UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya for praising CM Yogi Adityanath and PM Narendra Modi despite election losses. Maurya had lauded the leadership, calling it the 'best' in the country. Akhilesh questioned the necessity of two deputies if the governance was effective.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took aim at Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Monday for lauding CM Yogi Adityanath and PM Narendra Modi, despite the recent electoral setbacks. Yadav quipped that a 'deputy' was praising the 'double engine' government despite the 'gift' of double defeat.

'If the honourable was doing the right thing, then why is there a need for two deputy chief ministers? This means either he is not doing the right thing or the other two are useless, incompetent, and their job is simply to praise the master,' Yadav posted on X in Hindi.

A rejoinder to Yadav's comments was swiftly issued by Maurya, who said, 'Lalu and Mulayam families, who once boasted of uprooting Congress, have themselves become crutches for Congress today. These families, which claimed to champion the backward classes, are now followers of the Gandhi family, which oppressed the backward classes for decades.'

Maurya's comments came after he hailed CM Yogi on Sunday, deeming him the best chief minister in the country. Addressing an event, Maurya stated that the 'double-engine' government was delivering unprecedented governance since Independence, praising the leadership of both Yogi and PM Modi.

'When our PM Modi is the most influential leader globally and our CM is the best nationwide, the best governance is being delivered,' Maurya added. Back in July, Maurya had posted about the significance of the organization over the government, a remark perceived by the opposition as internal dissent within the BJP.

Maurya is in his second term as Deputy CM, having first been appointed in 2017 when the BJP under CM Yogi's leadership secured a majority. Although Maurya lost the 2022 Assembly election, he remained in office and was later elected to the Legislative Council. The BJP's seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls dwindled to 33 from 62 seats in the 2019 elections. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)