Panchayat polls: Yet to decide whether to go it alone or in alliance, says Keshav Maurya

Senior BJP leader and UP deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Monday clarified that the saffron party is yet to decide whether it will fight the Panchayat elections in alliance or go it alone in the contest.

The statement of Maurya comes in the wake of Apna Dal (S) president and Union minister Anupriya Patel and Nishad Party’s president and UP cabinet minister Sanjay Nishad over contesting May 2026 Panchayat elections alone.

Talking to media persons after attending a programme of the state basic education department here on Monday, the deputy CM gave a measured response to the recent statements of his party’s allies on the issue.

He said that there has been no conversation at the party level yet on this topic.

“This is all the work of ‘byaanveer’ (statement-makers) who are issuing statements at their level,” he maintained.

Reacting to the statements of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, the deputy CM said that the SP chief is dreaming like “Mungerilal”. In 2022 too, a similar dream was seen that more than 400 MLAs of SP would get elected but when the results were announced, SP was reduced to 100 MLAs, he pointed out.

The deputy chief minister said, “I can confidently announce from Prayagraj that in 2027 Samajwadi Party will become a Samaptwadi Party (party destined to end). Law and order is best under the BJP government. There is good governance, Ramrajya, development, education and employment under BJP. We will repeat 2017 success in 2027 on the strength of these achievements and the strength of our organisation.”

Supporting former Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam’s statement wherein he recently slammed Rahul Gandhi calling him a ‘reckless elephant’ who crushes his own party leaders, the deputy CM said that Congress party is in panic.

“Support and sentiments of the people after surgical strike first, then air strike and now Operation Sindoor has put Congress party into a panic. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge are making statements like Pakistan’s spokespersons. Even the whole Congress party is not unanimous on Rahul Gandhi’s statements. There are a large number of Congress leaders who have joined the delegation of all party MPs and have gone to several countries to put forth India’s side on Operation Sindoor. The patriotic leaders are praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.

He said that the Congress in the country and the Samajwadi Party in the state are suffering for being out of power. They have become such patients who are restless without power. They should get treatment from a good doctor, he added.

On the Sambhal Shahi Jama Masjid and Harihar Mandir dispute, he said that this matter is in the court. We respect and welcome the court’s decision. People should wait for the court’s decision in this matter too, he said.

On the demand to send the guilty MP of Sambhal riots to jail, the deputy CM said that those who are guilty will definitely go to jail and no one will be able to save them.

₹35.18 cr sent into accounts of 2.93 lakh students

The programme of basic education department inaugurated by chief minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow was broadcast live in the District Panchayat auditorium on Monday. The CM transferred ₹1200 each, amounting to a total of ₹35.18 crore, into the accounts of 2,93,211 students of Classes 1 to 8, studying in 2,852 schools of Prayagraj through DBT. The funds would be utilised to buy uniforms, shoes, socks etc.

Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya graced the occasion as chief guest and honoured teachers and others for their remarkable work by giving them certificates.

The deputy CM also released a documentary film highlighting the achievements of the basic education department, Prayagraj.