Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Credit: PTI Photo
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took a swipe at Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav in the Assembly Tuesday for being “ditched” by party president and his nephew Akhilesh Yadav for the post of the Leader of Opposition.
Congratulating Mata Prasad Pandey for being appointed to the post, the chief minister said he had given the “gachcha” to "chacha”, suggesting that the “uncle” had been “ditched”.
Countering the CM, Shivpal Yadav said Adityanath will get the “gachcha” in 2027 from his deputy chief minister, a reference to the next Assembly elections and speculation over a rift in the Uttar Pradesh BJP.
Taking a swipe at Pandey, Adityanath said, "I congratulate you for your appointment. It is a different matter that you have given gaccha to chacha."
The Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, "His (Shivpal Singh Yadav) destiny is like this because his nephew (Akhilesh Yadav) is always afraid. But you are a senior member of this House, I respect you."
Adityanath's comment was aimed at SP national president Akhilesh Yadav, who did not make his uncle Shivpal Yadav the Leader of Opposition but chose former Assembly Speaker and seven-time MLA Mata Prasad Pandey for the post.
SP member Sangram Singh Yadav protested saying "gaccha" is an unparliamentary word, and it should be removed from the proceedings.
Speaker Satish Mahana intervened and said that such things keep happening.
Shivpal Singh Yadav, while replying to Adityanath, said "I did not face 'gaccha', Pandey ji is very senior and we are socialists!"
He further said, "I was in touch with you for three years, so you also gave me gaccha. When you gave 'gaccha' then in this election (Lok Sabha elections), your party lagged behind and the SP emerged ahead. Now see, in 2027 the SP will come to power again and your deputy chief minister will give you gaccha."
SP president Akhilesh Yadav resigned from the Karhal (Mainpuri district) seat of the Assembly after being elected as the MP from Kannauj, due to which the post of LoP became vacant.