Akhilesh Yadav extends 'monsoon offer' amid BJP infighting
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav has made a cryptic "monsoon offer" amidst the ongoing infighting within the Uttar Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the party's poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections. "Monsoon offer: Sau lau, sarkar bano," Yadav posted on social media The social media post is seen as an invitation to those opposing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to defect and form a new government.
BJP infighting triggered by Keshav Prasad Maurya's remarks
Speculation of a rift within the BJP was sparked by state Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya's speech on Sunday and a subsequent social media post after his meeting with BJP president JP Nadda. Maurya, an other backward classes (OBC) leader and vocal critic of Yogi Adityanath, posted on social media stating, "The organization is bigger than the government, the pain of the workers is my pain. No one is bigger than the organisation, the workers are the pride."
Yadav's history of extending offers to BJP members
In December 2022 too, Yadav had extended a similar offer to Maurya and Brajesh Pathak to "bring 100 MLAs and become CM of the state." At a rally in Rampur, Yadav stated, "There are 2 Deputy CMs in the state. Both of them are looking for an opportunity to become a CM. We have come to give them an offer, bring 100 MLAs here, we are with you, and become CM whenever you want."
BJP's underwhelming performance in Lok Sabha elections
The BJP's underperformance in the Lok Sabha elections, which left Prime Minister Narendra Modi without a parliamentary majority and dependent on his allies, has led to cracks within the UP BJP. Insiders suggest that the factionalism is not only limited to the state unit but also involves senior central leaders who were unhappy with the party's performance in the state during the Lok Sabha polls. The BJP won just 33 out of the 80 seats in UP this year.
