Akhilesh calls bypoll results BJP’s ‘12-year return gift’; Lalan Singh says defeats are part of politics
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav characterized recent bypoll results as a '12-year return gift' to the BJP, suggesting the outcome reflects fair electoral conditions. Union Minister Lalan Singh dismissed the comments, stating that electoral losses are a standard part of democratic politics.
Why it matters
The exchange highlights ongoing political tensions and debates regarding the fairness of electoral processes in India.
Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday (August 4, 2026) described the Assembly byelection results as a “12-year return gift” to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming the outcome reflected the ruling party’s actual public support when elections were conducted fairly.
Speaking to reporters in Parliament, Mr. Yadav alleged that the BJP had suffered because it did not resort to the methods it had allegedly adopted in previous bypolls.
“There is not much left for the BJP workers, and this is a 12-year return gift to the Bharatiya Janata Party,” he said while reacting to the results from Bankipur and Datia bypolls.
Referring to earlier byelections in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, Mr. Yadav alleged that the BJP had previously relied on the police administration and other unfair means to influence electoral outcomes.
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