'Kutte Ki Puchh' To 'Naak Ragadna': Yogi And Akhilesh Escalate War Of Words Ahead Of UP By-Elections

As the by-elections for 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh approach, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav have ramped up their attacks on each other, signaling an intense political showdown. The two leaders have traded sharp barbs, with phrases like kutte ki puchh (dog's tail)," "mafia," and "naak ragadna (rubbing nose) making their way into the heated exchange, marking a new high in political rhetoric.

Yogi Adityanath, in his public rallies, focuses on critiquing the tenure of the Samajwadi Party (SP), while Akhilesh Yadav, in press conferences and through social media platforms like 'X', directly targets Yogi. Yogi's style is typically aggressive, while Akhilesh opts for a more sarcastic, yet calculated, approach. Yogi leans heavily on his Hindutva agenda and highlights the law-and-order situation during the SP rule, whereas Akhilesh portrays the BJP government as authoritarian, using police power to govern.

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याद रखना!

जो लोग श्री राम मंदिर का विरोध कर रहे थे, मथुरा में श्रीकृष्ण जन्मभूमि का विरोध करते हैं...

वही लोग सड़कों पर 'हरे रामा-हरे कृष्णा' का भजन गाते हुए दिखाई देंगे... pic.twitter.com/XAZUr14Egx

— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) September 28, 2024

Aggression Builds as Confidence Rises

Akhilesh Yadav, traditionally cautious in his direct attacks on the Chief Minister, has become notably more aggressive. This shift is attributed to the SP's strong performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where they secured 37 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, reducing BJP’s count to 33 from its earlier 62 seats. This victory not only revived SP's standing but also elevated Akhilesh's confidence, setting the stage for more direct confrontations with Yogi Adityanath.

The 2024 Lok Sabha results reshaped the political landscape in UP. For the first time in years, the SP, after a series of defeats in both state and national elections, regained ground and emerged as a formidable challenger. Akhilesh’s aggressive stance is a reflection of this newfound confidence, as his party eyes victory in the 2027 assembly elections.

Verbal Sparring Likely to Continue Till 2027

Political analysts predict that this ongoing battle of words will intensify and continue until the 2027 assembly elections. On one side, Akhilesh Yadav has consolidated his strategy around the PDA formula (Backward, Dalit, and Minority), aiming to create a solid voter base. On the other hand, the BJP is still figuring out how to counter this strategy effectively, relying heavily on its core issues of Hindutva and nationalism, with Yogi Adityanath as its primary face in the state.

The BJP is preparing to fight the elections by positioning Yogi as the champion of Hindutva and a symbol of nationalism. In contrast, Akhilesh Yadav’s SP is building momentum by emphasizing inclusivity and criticizing the BJP's governance style, which he portrays as dictatorial.

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A Precedent of Bitter Exchanges

This is not the first time Yogi and Akhilesh have engaged in sharp verbal exchanges. During the 2022 UP assembly elections, both leaders launched one-liners on Twitter (now 'X'), targeting each other. In one instance, Yogi called the SP's ideology a mix of "Chola Samajwadi," "riotous thinking," and "Tamanchawadi" (gun-culture politics). Akhilesh, in his usual sarcastic style, responded by taking digs at Yogi’s governance, remarking that "Baba Ji" had lost support even within his own party.

Why Has This War of Words Intensified Now?

One of the key reasons for this heightened rhetoric is the upcoming by-elections, which have become a matter of prestige for Yogi Adityanath. Following the BJP's setback in the Lok Sabha elections, winning these by-elections is crucial for Yogi to regain political ground. Yogi’s aggressive campaigning mirrors his Lok Sabha election strategy, where he took a strong stance against SP’s rule.

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At the same time, Akhilesh Yadav’s confidence stems from his party’s improved performance, and he’s using this momentum to unite his voter base and prepare for a larger battle in 2027. Political analysts suggest that this exchange of words will not subside anytime soon. Instead, it will likely escalate as both leaders prepare for future elections.

In the view of political analyst Ram Dutt Tripathi, such intense political exchanges are relatively new to UP's politics, particularly the direct verbal attacks between the two leaders. The current political scenario reflects not only a battle for power but also for control over narratives that appeal to their respective voter bases.

As the by-elections draw nearer, both Yogi Adityanath and Akhilesh Yadav are expected to continue sharpening their rhetoric, each trying to outmaneuver the other in this high-stakes political game, which seems set to continue until the 2027 assembly elections.

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