Alliance gave them a stomach ache: Akhilesh Yadav tears into BJP over 'fake' posters

Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP of erecting unauthorised posters to strain Congress-SP ties. The row underscores seat-sharing friction even as INDIA bloc leaders insist on unity.Akhilesh Yadav accuses BJP of putting up ‘fake’ posters to divide INDIA blocLucknow,Oct 25, 2026 18:52 ISTSamajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday accused the BJP of putting up "fake" posters to create differences within the opposition INDIA bloc ahead of next year's Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, news agency Press Trust of India reported.Yadav also demanded action against municipal officials for allegedly allowing the posters to be displayed without official permission or payment of the prescribed fees. He said the BJP was worried about the opposition alliance.‘’ ‘ ’ , - , , - ED-CBI EOW , - — Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) October 25, 2026His remarks came after posters and hoardings carrying images of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and local leaders appeared in Lucknow and other districts. The posters carried the slogan, "200 seat haq hai hamara, UP ko hai Rahul Gandhi par bharosa".Yadav alleged that the BJP had put up the posters to create a rift between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party. The posters highlight the Congress' push for about 200 seats during seat-sharing negotiations with the SP, though several SP leaders are not convinced that the Congress has enough political strength to seek so many seats, sources said. In a post on X, Yadav demanded the suspension of municipal officials who failed to act against those displaying the posters without paying the required fees. He alleged that the unauthorised posters were causing revenue losses to local bodies and claimed that the non-payment of fees could be an attempt to conceal the identities of those behind the campaign.Yadav said the SP was maintaining a date-wise record of such "incidents" and the officials responsible for them. He added that if voted to power, an SP-led PDA government would act against officials involved in corruption and activate the Enforcement Directorate, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Economic Offences Wing to examine their conduct. PDA is an acronym coined by Yadav for 'Pichhde' or backward classes, Dalits and 'Alpsankhyak' or minorities.Congress' Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam said the INDIA bloc was united and its fight was aimed at protecting social justice, democracy and the Constitution. In a post on X, he said the BJP could spread confusion or hatch conspiracies, but would not be able to break or harm the opposition alliance. "The INDIA bloc is united, and it will remain united," he said.The Congress has formally started seat-sharing talks with the SP for next year's Assembly elections and submitted an initial list of more than 175 constituencies where it believes it can perform well as part of an alliance.Gautam told PTI that the list had been shared with SP leaders a few days ago and that leaders of the two parties would soon hold detailed discussions on the seat-sharing arrangement. "I can't give you the exact numbers, but we have submitted a list for 175 to 200 seats," he said, indicating that the Congress was open to negotiations for the 403-member Assembly.There is scepticism over the Congress' proposed list as its electoral performance in Uttar Pradesh has declined since 1989, when it last held power in the state. The party contested the 2022 Assembly elections on its own but won only two seats, down from seven in 2017.However, the 2024 Lok Sabha election results have raised the Congress' hopes, party leaders said. In alliance with the SP, the Congress won six Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, while the SP secured 37, restricting the BJP to 33.The poster dispute has emerged as the Congress and the SP begin negotiations over Assembly seats, with both parties maintaining that the INDIA bloc remains united despite Yadav's allegation that the BJP is trying to create divisions within the alliance.- Ends