After Akhilesh's charge on voter deletions, Maurya predicts opposition setbacks in Bengal, UP

Lucknow, Nov 23 (PTI) A day after Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP government and the Election Commission of plotting to remove voters from select constituencies, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya suggested that the next electoral setbacks for the opposition would come in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

Taking to X on Sunday, Maurya posted, "During the Bihar elections, with Rahul Gandhi diving in and dragging Tejashwi Yadav along, the fate of the Mahagathbandhan was sealed." Maurya, who served as the BJP's co-incharge for the Bihar Assembly polls, added, "The next number is that of Mamata Didi (West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) and then SP's brave Akhilesh Yadav." In the recent Bihar assembly elections, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a two-thirds majority, leaving the INDIA bloc far behind.

Akhilesh had alleged on Saturday that the BJP and the Election Commission were conspiring to delete more than 50,000 votes in assembly segments where the SP and the INDIA bloc had won during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

He claimed the special intensive revision (SIR) of voter lists was being misused for this purpose.

Akhilesh said, "We expect the Election Commission to remain impartial and address our complaints. But we are hearing that after losing in 2024, the BJP and the commission are focusing heavily on West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh." He further alleged that the SP had received information that major "preparations" were underway jointly by the BJP and the Election Commission in both states. PTI CDN SMV SMV MPL MPL