Lucknow, 21 April

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday slammed BJP MP Nishikant Dubey for his remarks against former CEC SY Quraishi, saying he should refrain from commenting on a former constitutional authority who has served the nation with distinction.

In a post on X, Yadav wrote, “One who has already been discredited by his own party for making a ‘personal opinion’ that is not worthy of endorsement should maintain silence on a retired constitutional officer. That would be more respectful.”

Dubey had said on Sunday, "You (SY Quraishi) were not an election commissioner, you were a Muslim commissioner. The maximum number of Bangladeshi infiltrators were made voters in Santhal Pargana in Jharkhand during your tenure".

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister targeted the BJP over alleged electoral malpractices and cited multiple instances that, according to him, raise questions on the party’s democratic conduct.

“Before making any statements, BJP leaders should revisit their own long list of electoral misconducts,” he said, listing out incidents like alleged manipulation in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

He also cited alleged intimidation of voters in the Mirapur bypoll using armed policemen, an incident that went viral, coercion and forced withdrawal of nominations in Madhya Pradesh to ensure unopposed wins for BJP candidates and cash-for-votes allegations in Maharashtra involving a senior BJP leader.

Yadav also highlighted "unexplained spikes" in voter turnout in Haryana and Maharashtra during the last hours of voting, use of fake voters in the Milkipur bypoll in UP, where a man claimed on television that he cast six votes in favour of BJP and allegations of bribing a police officer with Rs 10 lakh in Maharashtra to ignore EVM tampering.

“BJP's moral compass was never intact, and never will be. Yet, reminders are necessary,” Yadav said adding those sidelined in the BJP should not attempt a comeback into the limelight with inflammatory remarks.

“BJP leaders are not loyal even to their own,” he said.

“Now they are targeting each other on social media. The BJP’s internal factionalism is at its peak. The corruption syndicate within the party is exposing each other’s secrets. The mask has fallen, and the people will bring down their arrogance,” Yadav said.

“History is witness — the seeds of downfall lie within the unchecked growth of negative regimes,” he added.