In this episode of Central Hall, Kapil Sibal speaks to Akhilesh Yadav, leader of the Samajwadi Party. The party, based out of Uttar Pradesh, has made a thumping return in the Lok Sabha polls this year – upending predictions in favour of the opposition and dealing a blow to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Sibal notes that when he entered the Supreme Court in 1973, Akhilesh was born. He discusses the SP’s loss in 2019 and the ‘tsunami’ in 2024.
“The whole country was waiting for such a moment. I want to thank the people of Uttar Pradesh for the outcome – they have voted for the INDIA alliance and PDA politics,” Akhilesh tells Sibal.
In the 30-minute conversation, Akhilesh speaks on how the BJP has always accused the SP of catering to the “MY” or Muslim Yadav voter base and how this played a role in ticket distribution this time. “I wanted to defeat the BJP’s ‘MY’ – Modi-Yogi,” he says.
He adds that the BJP’s “helper group” was always on the ground, spreading hatred. He also says that the internal conflict within the BJP in Uttar Pradesh is not between two leaders but between the party’s nerve centre in New Delhi and Lucknow.
