Akhilesh weaving false narrative to justify upcoming defeat, says UP Minister amid anti-ECI protest

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Lucknow, Oct 15 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar on Thursday slammed Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav over his “vote theft” allegations against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and questioned how the SP was able to secure the 2024 Lok Sabha mandate in Uttar Pradesh.

Rajbhar said that the SP chief is peddling a “false narrative” because he knows that the party will face defeat in the 2027 Assembly elections in the state.

Taking to X, Rajbhar said, “Akhilesh Yadav ji, just tell us one thing. Did the 2024 Lok Sabha elections happen honestly or not? You lost in 2017, you lost in 2019, you lost in 2022 too, but you won in 2024. The BJP has been in power at the Centre since 2014 until now. So, out of four elections, three were wrong, and one was right?”

The Minister further questioned how 37 Samajwadi Party leaders, five of whom are from Akhilesh Yadav’s family, were able to make it to Parliament after winning in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections if the allegations against the ECI are true.

“When SP got more seats than it deserved in 2024, suddenly everything became ‘all is well’?” Rajbhar questioned.

“Either your voters in ’24 were fake, or you’re openly spreading rumours today,” he added.

The Minister further stated that the SP will face a crushing defeat in the 2027 elections and Yadav’s allegations are just “excuses” to justify that failure.

“Now, the days of nawabi are over. Mark my words, in 2027, your cycle’s tyre won’t just puncture; it’s going to burst. This time, the cycle’s rim-frame is all going to get bent out of shape,” he said.

“You understand this very well. That’s why you’ve already started weaving a false narrative from now. You’re prepping excuses in advance so you can hide your face in front of the loaders later. Save some tears. In ’27, SP is wiped clean, Akhilesh ji,” Rajbhar added.

This comes as the Congress-led INDIA bloc has been organising protests at different locations across the country against the ECI over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over the controversy.

Opposition leaders have alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision exercise and raised concerns over the process, while the ruling NDA has defended the exercise and accused the INDIA bloc of politicising the issue.

–IANS

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In his first visit to the new district, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of the Sitapur-Hanumana Lift Irrigation Project worth Rs 5,041 crore.

The project will provide irrigation facilities to more than 400 villages in Mauganj, which was separated from Rewa and established as a new district head of Assembly elections in 2023.

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The Chief Minister also announced to establish degree college, and a civil hospital in Hanumana Tehsil and also allocated Rs 5 crore for development works at Shiva temple in Devtalab.

Addressing an event on this occasion, the Chief Minister said that under the Jan Kalyan Parv, an action plan for development works worth Rs 16,100 crore has been made for the entire state.

“Of these, Mauganj district alone has received a gift of Rs 5,041 crore. BJP government has made Mauganj a separate district and therefore, we are committed to fulfilling promises made to the people. All demands of Mauganj district will be fulfilled,” said the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, he also released Rs 332 crore as the first instalment of scholarship to 60 lakh students of the state.

He also inaugurated the Sarsi Island Resort that has been built and developed by the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department in Shahdol district.

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–IANS

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140 kg ganja seized in TN, accused arrested from Andhra Pradesh

Chennai, April 10 (IANS) Around 140 kilograms of ganja, valued at several lakhs of rupees, was seized from a secluded area in Tamil Nadu’s Anakaputhur on Thursday.

The seizure led to the arrest of a notorious drug smuggler from Andhra Pradesh. The accused was identified as Appala Naidu (20).

Naidu’s accomplice, Rahman (28) and several drug dealers are currently absconding.

According to police sources, the contraband was procured in bulk from Odisha.

Naidu and Rahman had travelled to the forested foothills of Odisha, where they purchased the ganja directly from local cultivators. The harvested ganja was then dried, processed, and packed into small five-gram sachets, totaling 140 kilograms.

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Once the ganja reached these hideouts, it was transported to Tamil Nadu and Kerala in cars.

To ensure safe passage, the smugglers deployed two men on motorbikes to serve as escort pilots – one riding ahead and the other following behind the ganja-laden vehicle, maintaining a buffer zone of about one kilometer. Upon entering Tamil Nadu, the initial escorts returned, and Appala Naidu assumed escort duties on a motorbike, while Rahman followed in the car carrying the contraband, the police sources said.

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The police are continuing their efforts to track down Rahman and other members of the distribution network.

The operation has drawn significant attention for exposing an elaborate and well-organised smuggling route stretching from the forests of Odisha to the outskirts of Chennai, complete with security escorts and logistical coordination.

–IANS

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India’s diesel exports keep Australia going amid Middle East crisis

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For Australia, the immediate issue is not just price but physical availability. The Anthony Albanese government has said Australia imports about 90 per cent of its fuel and has faced localised shortages, with several hundred service stations running out of petrol or diesel in recent weeks. Australia had about 30 days of diesel and jet fuel on hand late last week, while more than 53 fuel shipments are currently on their way to Australia from Asia, the United States, Mexico and elsewhere, the article pointed out.

Indian diesel is not a complete fix on its own, but it is helping ease the squeeze. Reuters reported traders expect the extra Indian cargoes to ease supply tightness into April, with some market analysts believing the arbitrage still favours east-of-Suez sales for months yet. That gives Australian buyers a better chance of finding replacement cargoes through Asian hubs.

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–IANS

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