Akhilesh Yadav vows to keep INDIA bloc united, backs SP–Congress alliance

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday (December 13) said the party’s alliance with the Congress would remain intact despite the coalition’s defeat in the Bihar Assembly elections, adding that efforts would be made to keep all partners united.

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Speaking at a press conference in Hyderabad, Yadav alleged that the BJP was attempting to remove voters’ names using a mapping app employed for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh. He further alleged that the mapping app was developed by the company which had given the saffron party donations through the electoral bonds.

Alleges voter deletion bid

He acknowledged that the experience in Bihar was not as good as it should have been. "We will run the INDIA alliance and make efforts to bring the partners of the INDIA alliance together.” His comments assume significance as the ruling BJP at the Centre has claimed that "cracks" have emerged in the INDIA bloc and that it will disintegrate soon.

According to Yadav, there was a mismatch between the electoral data being uploaded in the mapping app and the information available, which poses a threat of deletion of three crore voters in Uttar Pradesh.

He said the SP raised the issue in Parliament also. “The BJP is such a clever party...One company gave them (donations through) electoral bonds. It seems the app is (developed) from the same company. Those who made the app should know where the data is going,” he said.

The BJP resorts to deletion of votes wherever it lost, he alleged. He urged the Election Commission to said by use technology to increase voter participation, rather than focusing on the deletion of electors.

Warns against SIR misuse

The SP chief further claimed the BJP wants to win the 2027 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh through the SIR. It is not SIR, he said, adding as they could not directly implement the NRC (National Register of Citizens), that's why they have brought SIR.

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“In a way they are implementing NRC in Uttar Pradesh and want to win (2027 Assembly) elections through the SIR," the former Uttar Pradesh CM said.

Asked about the Samajwadi Party's preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the SP leader, in a lighter vein, said they will utilise the AI to defeat the BJP. He also stressed the need for making Aadhar foolproof and asked why Aadhar is not being linked with the voter list.

Akhilesh is in Hyderabad to attend the 'Vision India: AI Summit'. He expressed confidence that if Samajwadi Party forms the government in Uttar Pradesh, then it will properly utilise artificial intelligence (AI) to benefit the people.

Earlier, addressing the summit, he said AI should be developed for progressive and positive purposes.

(With agency inputs)