A political war of words erupted in Uttar Pradesh as Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav hit back at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over allegations that the SP government had "favoured" real estate giant Ansal Group. Yadav questioned why the BJP-led government had participated in inaugurations of projects built by the same developer if it was allegedly involved in wrongdoing.
"If everything was wrong, why did you go there for the inauguration instead of sending a bulldozer?" Yadav asked on Wednesday, in response to Adityanath’s sharp remarks.
Ansal Group Booked Amid Controversy
The Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday booked the Ansal Group for alleged cheating, breach of trust, criminal conspiracy, and organised crime. The crackdown came after Chief Minister Adityanath directed officials to take strict action to safeguard homebuyers' interests.
During a discussion on the state budget in the assembly, Adityanath accused the SP government of enabling Ansal Group’s "illegal activities," which he claimed had deceived investors and homebuyers. "Ansal was your (SP’s) creation. It was under your government that all its illegal activities were facilitated, deceiving investors and homebuyers," the CM said.
Yadav Calls Out BJP’s Hypocrisy
Reacting to the allegations, Yadav took to social media, questioning the BJP’s stance on investment policies. In a post on X, he pointed out that BJP leaders themselves had inaugurated projects built by the same developer they are now accusing of fraud.
"To hide their own failures, some people take others' names but forget that they themselves inaugurated malls and hospitals in the same scheme. They also hosted G20 delegates in a newly built hotel within the same grand complex, which received genuine investments worth billions," Yadav wrote.
To back his claims, Yadav shared a video purportedly showing Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurating Lulu Mall in Ansal’s Golf City. The grand complex has also hosted a G20 event and houses a cancer hospital.
Political Firestorm Over Investment Climate
Yadav further criticized the BJP government, alleging that such accusations discourage investors and harm the state’s economic growth. "If everything was wrong, why did you go there with scissors for the inauguration instead of sending a bulldozer?" he asked, taking a jibe at the ruling party’s frequent use of bulldozers in actions against illegal properties.
The former chief minister also suggested that the BJP’s rhetoric was fueled by frustration over fears of losing power. The controversy has added fuel to the ongoing political battle between the SP and the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, with both sides gearing up for a heated election season.
