Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has accused the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) of selling a Rajya Sabha seat to a wealthy businessman while sidelining its “PDA” or “pichhda (backward), Dalit, alpsankhyak (minorities)” plank.
Yogi’s remarks came in the context of Yadav nominating senior Reliance Industries executive Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani to the Rajya Sabha in the election held earlier this month, where the SP won two seats unopposed. Nathwani, one of the two SP winners, is also considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. His father Parimal Nathwani is an Independent Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand. The latter had won the seat in April this year after defeating Congress candidate Pranav Jha.
Addressing a teachers’ conference in Varanasi Wednesday, Yogi questioned the SP’s commitment to PDA, asking, “Those who kept raising slogans about PDA… where did that PDA go when it came to Rajya Sabha tickets?”
“We have been saying from day one that PDA in the Samajwadi Party stands for ‘parivar development authority’ or, at best, ‘Paraya Dhan Apna’,” the chief minister said.
Yogi said the SP leader fielded his uncle Ram Gopal Yadav from one of the seats it won, although he could have chosen a Yadav leader from Kashi, Ghazipur or Ballia for one seat.
“For the second seat, they could have nominated a Dalit or someone else, or even a Muslim from their traditional vote bank. But they did not do so. Instead, they sold the seat to a wealthy businessman from Mumbai. Both ‘parivar development authority’ and ‘paraya dhan apna’ have been proved right,” he alleged.
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Yogi targets SP over recruitment row
The chief minister also attacked the erstwhile SP government over alleged irregularities in recruitment, accusing it of compromising the future of young people. He referred to the appointment of Anil Yadav as chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission during the SP’s tenure in 2013—the appointment was set aside by the Allahabad High Court in 2015 amid questions over his selection—and claimed he was not qualified for the post.
He further alleged that a candidate who had secured third division in high school, intermediate and graduation had topped the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission examinations under the previous government.
“What kind of anarchy and hooliganism was this? The future of young people was being played with. Meanwhile, riots, unrest and mafia elements dominated the state,” Yogi alleged.
SP’s Rajya Sabha wins
The remarks come after 10 Rajya Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh were elected unopposed on October 9. The BJP secured eight seats, while the SP won two.
The SP’s elected candidates were senior party leader and national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav and businessman Nathwani.
Within a few days of filing nomination, Nathwani’s social media post praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi had triggered unease within the party, with some leaders questioning how they would defend the candidature amid the SP’s opposition to the BJP and Modi.
Nathwani, a Gujarat-based businessman associated with the Reliance Group, posted a lengthy message on X (formerly Twitter) on 9 October, congratulating Modi on completing 25 years in public office. He also shared a video highlighting Modi’s political journey from Gujarat chief minister to Prime Minister.
Edited by Sunanda Ranjan
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