Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav turned up the heat on UP CM Yogi Adityanath Thursday, zeroing in on the latter’s response to Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati. ‘I’m completely with the Shankaracharya on this,’ Yadav affirmed to journalists in Lucknow.
‘Is it possible for someone branding themselves a Yogi to address a Shankaracharya so rudely?’ he probed. ‘Such abysmal manners from a CM?’ The barb references the seer’s outspoken critique of Yogi, which Yadav has now wholeheartedly backed.
This episode reveals fault lines in UP’s politico-religious fabric, with opposition leveraging spiritual authority to challenge the incumbent. SP’s narrative frames Yogi’s actions as hypocritical, contrasting his ascetic image with alleged intemperance.
Meanwhile, SP scored a coup with Naseemuddin Siddiqui’s induction. The ex-Congress stalwart, his wife, and seven others joined under Akhilesh’s auspices at a Lucknow gathering Sunday.
Siddiqui, no stranger to power plays, was a key BSP minister during Mayawati’s tenure before jumping to Congress, from which he resigned citing personal grounds. ‘I’ve long admired Mulayam Singh and viewed Akhilesh as my guide,’ he declared.
From BSP’s corridors to Congress’s fold and now SP, Siddiqui’s trajectory mirrors UP’s volatile politics, where experience trumps loyalty. His addition fortifies SP’s cadre, especially in diverse voter segments.
Yadav’s offensive redefines the Shankaracharya debate as a character test for Yogi, potentially resonating with traditionalists. In a state where image is everything, this could sway undecideds as opposition unity brews.