Lucknow, August 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday claimed that more than 26,000 schools in Uttar Pradesh had been “closed down” by the BJP government and promised to reopen them if his party returns to power in the 2027 Assembly elections.
Addressing the media at the SP headquarters, Yadav said children belonging largely to the PDA bloc — comprising Pichhda, Dalit and Alpsankhyak communities — were among those affected. He said strengthening the education system and protecting government schools would be among the SP’s priorities.
Yadav also promised greater political representation for the PDA communities, saying that if the SP formed the government, these groups would receive a share in power proportionate to their population.
The announcement came days after Yadav promised that women would receive Rs 40,000 annually if the SP returned to power in Uttar Pradesh.
Questioning the state government’s employment claims, Yadav also raised questions over Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s assertion regarding the provision of one lakh jobs.
He criticised the condition of roads in the state, alleging that several areas had been reduced to stretches of potholes. Yadav also alleged irregularities and scams in the Irrigation Department and called for an investigation.
On law and order, the SP chief challenged the state government’s claims that mafia and criminals had left Uttar Pradesh. He alleged that, instead, criminal gangs from other states were entering Uttar Pradesh to commit crimes.
Yadav also criticised Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar. Referring to an SP programme organised for the Arkvanshi community in Hardoi, he noted that some of his former associates were no longer with him.
The SP chief reiterated his party’s commitment to representation and respect for all communities, saying people from respective communities would receive due participation if the party formed the government.
Yadav further alleged corruption and scams in the installation of towering statues of BJP icons and the party’s first president.
He said an SP government in 2027 would act against corruption and what he described as the politics of coercion, while ensuring rights and respect for all sections of society, including the PDA communities, in proportion to their population.
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