Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a sharp attack on the Samajwadi Party at a rally in Deoria on Saturday, accusing its previous government of financial irregularities and mismanagement. He focused particularly on the Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) in Lucknow, while also outlining his government’s initiatives in healthcare, infrastructure, women’s welfare and law and order. His remarks came days after the state government launched a free bus travel facility for women aged above 60.

Yogi Adityanath alleged that the JPNIC project was initially estimated to cost Rs 200 crore but that the previous Samajwadi Party government ultimately spent Rs 864 crore on it. He further alleged that despite the expenditure, the project remained incomplete and claimed that another Rs 900 crore to Rs 1,000 crore was proposed from the state exchequer before the facility could be handed over to a private company. The Chief Minister accused the previous government of attempting to use public funds to create a private enterprise and demanded an apology from the SP leadership.

The Chief Minister also criticised SP leader Akhilesh Yadav over his response to the free bus travel initiative announced on August 26. Using a mocking reference to Yadav, Yogi Adityanath accused the SP leadership of becoming active only after the scheme was launched. He also recalled his government’s measures in eastern Uttar Pradesh to address encephalitis, a disease that he claimed had caused more than 50,000 deaths over four decades. He credited the state government with expanding medical infrastructure, pointing to medical colleges in Deoria and Kushinagar.

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Yogi Adityanath also focused on the government’s law-and-order record, claiming that festivals in Uttar Pradesh are now being conducted without riots or clashes. He maintained that the state’s earlier system of mafia influence had been dismantled and warned that those threatening women and traders would face legal consequences. On infrastructure, he said proposals for bridges and other development works in Deoria had been approved and urged elected representatives to identify additional projects requiring attention.

The Chief Minister further spoke about the free bus travel facility for women above 60 years of age. Under the initiative outlined at the rally, eligible women can travel free of cost on Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation buses along with one accompanying passenger. Yogi Adityanath linked the initiative with his government’s broader focus on women’s welfare and public services, while also emphasising the importance of long working hours and administrative commitment in delivering development projects.

Yogi Adityanath concluded by portraying Uttar Pradesh as a state that had undergone significant transformation under his government. He claimed that the state had moved away from the negative image associated with the term “Bimaru” and that people were now more confident about its development. His address combined criticism of the previous SP government with claims about improvements in healthcare, infrastructure, security and public welfare under the current administration.

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