BY KULDEEP SINGH YADAV
Fresh allegations of corruption and electoral manipulation have intensified the political confrontation in Uttar Pradesh, with Akhilesh Yadav launching a sharp attack on the ruling BJP government. The Samajwadi Party chief and former Chief Minister has claimed that a major scam has been exposed in the state’s Transport Department, raising serious concerns over governance and accountability. According to Yadav, as many as 1,671 drivers are allegedly drawing salaries without operating any buses, while nearly 50 percent of drivers have recorded zero kilometers of service.
He argued that such revelations point to deep-rooted corruption within the system. Taking a dig at the government’s style of action, Yadav said symbolic measures like bulldozer crackdowns would not address the issue unless action is taken against those allegedly involved at higher levels. He further alleged that the proceeds of such irregularities ultimately benefit those in power, which is why decisive action remains unlikely.
The former Chief Minister also linked the alleged mismanagement to the hardships faced by the public, especially during the summer travel season. He claimed that while citizens struggle with transportation shortages, elements within the system are engaged in dismantling and profiteering from public assets. This, he said, has effectively stalled the state’s development, likening it to a vehicle stuck due to corruption-induced failures. Yadav added that disruption in transport directly impacts economic activity, accusing the BJP of prioritizing its own financial interests over the vision of a trillion-dollar economy.
In a separate but related development, the Samajwadi Party has raised concerns over alleged irregularities in electoral processes. Acting on Yadav’s instructions, state party president Shyam Lal Pal submitted a memorandum to the Chief Electoral Officer in Lucknow. The complaint targets expelled party leader and BJP-supported MLA Manoj Pandey, accusing him of exerting undue pressure on the administration in Raebareli.
The memorandum alleges that efforts were made to secretly reorganize 28 polling booths in the Unchahar Assembly constituency, in violation of guidelines set by the Election Commission of India. It further claims that local officials were directed to submit reports under pressure by April 6, 2026, raising concerns about administrative neutrality. The party has demanded that the entire process be immediately scrapped to safeguard the integrity of the upcoming 2027 Assembly elections.
The Samajwadi Party also called for strict action against any officials found complicit in the alleged conspiracy, emphasizing the need for free, fair, and transparent elections. The complaint comes despite the fact that the Election Commission had already completed the Special Intensive Revision process, including polling booth rationalization, by December 2025, with the final electoral roll scheduled for publication on April 10, 2026.
