Raipur/Bihar: Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday expressed strong optimism about the Bihar Assembly elections, praising Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav and predicting that the state is poised to elect a new, young chief minister. Speaking to reporters at Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur during a brief stopover before proceeding to Odisha, Yadav highlighted the palpable public sentiment favoring change in Bihar, and suggested that the outcome of the elections would have national political implications.

Akhilesh Yadav emphasized that the mood among Bihar’s electorate indicates a clear desire for leadership with new energy and perspective. “What I say is less important than what your camera shows. The camera is capturing where the real public support lies,” he said, underlining the widespread backing for Tejashwi Yadav, who celebrated his 36th birthday on the day. “Bihar, along with bringing change, is going to elect a young chief minister. Bihar is going to get a new chief minister, a young chief minister with new energy. Tejashwi Yadav has the support of the people,” Yadav added.

He also expressed confidence that the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan, as well as the broader INDIA bloc, is heading toward victory in the state. “The outcome in Bihar will not only usher in change within the state but also strengthen the alliance nationally after the polls,” he said. The first phase of Bihar’s assembly elections was held on November 6, while the second and final phase is scheduled for November 11, with results expected on November 14.

Taking aim at the BJP and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks regarding infiltrators, Yadav accused the ruling party of focusing on “ghoos (bribes) more than ghuspaithiye (infiltrators).” He argued that the BJP, having been in power for over 11 years, must take responsibility for any infiltration that occurred during its tenure. “The BJP itself has to make a list of how many infiltrators came in these 11 years and how many came before 2014. The BJP pays more attention to ghoos than ghuspaithiye,” he remarked, criticizing the party for its alleged misprioritization.

Yadav also reflected on the political landscape in Uttar Pradesh, noting that the electorate had already delivered a verdict against the BJP in the last Lok Sabha elections. He highlighted that backward classes, Dalits, tribals, and minorities, including Christians and Muslims, united to reject the BJP under the PDA umbrella. “The BJP discriminated against backward classes, Dalits, tribals, and minorities. All those people united under the PDA umbrella and taught the BJP a lesson,” he said, underscoring a broader message about the electorate rejecting communal politics.

Further referencing the BJP’s losses in historically significant areas, Yadav mentioned the defeat in Faizabad, which includes Ayodhya—the epicentre of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. “The BJP talks about double-engine governments, but people have taught them a lesson even in places where their communal politics began. The BJP was defeated where it once started its communal politics,” he said.

On expanding the Samajwadi Party’s national presence, Yadav stated that the party is actively working to establish a base beyond Uttar Pradesh. “We are moving in the direction of making SP a national party. In Chhattisgarh, the Samajwadi Party will continue its efforts, and through the Nuapada bypoll in Odisha, we are sowing the seeds of our presence in the state. In the coming years, SP will establish its base in Odisha,” he said.

Yadav was en route to campaign for the Nuapada bypoll in Odisha, where voting is scheduled for November 11. He highlighted the constituency’s demography, noting that tribals constitute over 35 per cent of Nuapada’s more than 2.53 lakh voters, indicating the strategic importance of the seat for the SP’s expansion efforts.

In conclusion, Akhilesh Yadav’s remarks underscore the party’s confidence in a shift of political tides in Bihar, a belief rooted in the combination of youth appeal, regional alliances, and voter dissatisfaction with the incumbent BJP administration. His comments also reflect a broader strategy by the SP to position itself as a growing force nationally, leveraging regional victories to gain momentum across multiple states.

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