Lucknow: RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary on Saturday accused Akhilesh Yadav of being more worried about his allies’ electoral prospects than his own party’s position.Taking a swipe at Akhilesh’s remarks on alliance politics and seat-sharing, Jayant said SP chief’s concerns were completely misplaced.“He’s worried about the Rashtriya Lok Dal’s seats, not his own. He’s concerned about the prices of gulab jamun and rasgulla, not about sugarcane farmers. He’s upset about a vehicle’s mileage, not India’s energy independence,” Jayant posted on social media, in an apparent reference to Akhilesh’s recent remarks targeting BJP allies.The latest exchange between the two leaders comes amid a controversy triggered by Akhilesh’s “chavanni to rupee” comment, which drew criticism from both Jayant Chaudhary and BSP supremo Mayawati. The remark was seen by opposition leaders as a disparaging reference to smaller political parties.Akhilesh had said that BJP should show greater respect to its allies ahead of the UP Assembly elections.Without naming the RLD directly, Akhilesh had said that if an alliance partner was being offered 30 seats, it should ideally be allotted four times that number, or 120 seats. Such a move, he said, would not only demonstrate respect for allies but also expose the “real nature” of the alliance.“BJP should increase the share of seats given to its allies. If a partner is being offered 30 seats, it should be given 120. That is how allies are respected,” Akhilesh said.The exchange reflects growing political sparring as parties begin positioning themselves for the 2027 Assembly elections. While the SP has sought to portray BJP as dominant within NDA, BJP allies have dismissed Akhilesh’s comments as an attempt to sow discord within the ruling coalition.
