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Akhilesh Yadav offered Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak a chance to be Chief Minister if they gather 100 MLAs, sparking BJP criticism.
Akhilesh Yadav (SP): Akhilesh Yadav is the President of Samajwadi Party (SP). He has been serving as the national party head since 2017. Earlier, he served as the youngest Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 2012 to 2017. He is 52-year-old.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday sparked a political storm just hours before Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s scheduled foreign visit.
Speaking at a public event, Akhilesh Yadav said he was once again offering the two Deputy Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh — Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak — a chance to become Chief Minister if they could gather the support of 100 MLAs. He remarked that whoever brings 100 legislators would naturally be in a position to claim the top post.
“Bring 100 MLAs and become Chief Minister for a week, but offer is for a limited time,” he was heard saying.
The statement quickly triggered a political response from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Party leaders described the comment as a reflection of frustration within the opposition camp.
BJP leader and spokesperson Manish Shukla criticised Akhilesh Yadav, saying his remarks showed political desperation. Shukla said the Samajwadi Party president appeared less like a serious politician and more like a cartoon character, adding that people tend to smile when they see him on television. He alleged that Akhilesh treats even serious matters lightly and claimed that the public no longer takes him seriously.
The BJP spokesperson further stated that the comment revealed confusion and disappointment about Akhilesh Yadav’s political future. According to him, the people of Uttar Pradesh are looking for development and stability rather than sarcasm and political statements.
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Uttar Pradesh, India, India
February 22, 2026, 19:11 IST
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