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Akhilesh flips ‘80-20’ pitch, says NDA capable of contesting only 80 seats
In a post on X, Akhilesh said that by ‘80-20’, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister meant that the BJP alliance would be capable of contesting a maximum of 80 seats, while “PDA gathbandhan NDA ke muqable bees sabit hoga”. The phrase “bees sabit hona”, a Hindi expression meaning to prove superior to someone, was used to assert the PDA alliance’s edge over the NDA.
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Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday sought to turn chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s “80-20” formula against the BJP, claiming that it meant the BJP-led alliance would be capable of contesting a maximum of 80 seats in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
In a post on X, Akhilesh said that by ‘80-20’, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister meant that the BJP alliance would be capable of contesting a maximum of 80 seats, while “PDA gathbandhan NDA ke muqable bees sabit hoga”. The phrase “bees sabit hona”, a Hindi expression meaning to prove superior to someone, was used to assert the PDA alliance’s edge over the NDA.
The comment comes weeks after Yogi reiterated his “80 versus 20” formulation following the Rajya Sabha elections in October. The chief minister had said the Rajya Sabha results had set the tone for the 2027 assembly elections, declaring that “the 80 versus 20 fight has returned. Eighty per cent is with the NDA, and 20 per cent with the PDA.”
PDA, a term popularised by Akhilesh, stands for Pichhda (backward classes), Dalit and Alpsankhyak (minorities). The SP chief has projected this social coalition as the principal challenger to the BJP-led NDA in Uttar Pradesh. The exchange comes amid heightened political activity in the state ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.
Earlier in the day, Akhilesh Yadav took a dig at the BJP government ahead of his December 12 visit to Ayodhya, claiming that if voted to power in 2027, his party would restore the dignity and honour of the city.
Claiming that the number of devotees vising the temple had declined due to alleged donation theft, Yadav said it was directly hurting the local economy.
“We will improve and restore the situation. By providing a transparent system for the Ram Temple, we will also restore people’s trust,” he said in an official statement issued. He added that an SP government would develop world-class infrastructure to transform Ayodhya into the “global capital of Sanatan pilgrimage.”
