Politics
‘Even If He Ties a Bell Around a Dog, Vote for Him’: SP Leader’s Akhilesh Yadav Remark Sparks Political Firestorm in UP
Samajwadi Party MLC Lal Bihari Yadav’s controversial appeal to voters has triggered a heated political exchange in Uttar Pradesh, with the BJP calling it an insult to democracy while the SP sought to distance itself from the statement.
Viral Remark Puts Samajwadi Party in the Spotlight
A controversial statement by Samajwadi Party MLC Lal Bihari Yadav has triggered a fresh political row in Uttar Pradesh, just as political activity begins to intensify ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
A video circulating on social media shows Yadav making an unusual appeal while speaking about SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.
He urged voters to continue supporting Akhilesh regardless of the circumstances, using a comparison involving a dog that quickly became the centre of the controversy.
“It doesn’t matter, even if he ties a bell around the neck of a dog, you still have to vote for him, because only he will solve your problems,” Yadav said.
He then added, “Forget about the person, the person is very great.”
The remarks immediately gave political opponents an opportunity to attack the Samajwadi Party, while SP leaders described them as potentially personal comments rather than the party’s official position.
BJP Says Remark ‘Insults Democracy’
The Bharatiya Janata Party reacted sharply to the viral statement.
BJP leader Alok Awasthi accused the SP legislator of disrespecting voters and democratic choice.
“No one can insult democracy more than this,” Awasthi said, adding that the public would give its response during the elections.
He also hit back with his own reference to dogs, saying that soon they would be standing outside the SP office with leashes.
The political exchange quickly turned what might otherwise have remained a controversial local speech into a wider debate over political rhetoric and how parties speak about voters.
SP Distances Itself: ‘Could Be Personal Statements’
The Samajwadi Party, meanwhile, attempted to play down the controversy.
SP leader Deepak Ranjan suggested that Lal Bihari Yadav’s words should not automatically be treated as representing the entire party.
“In a democracy, the public has records of who wins, and we shouldn’t go into what they said or didn’t, and these could be personal statements,” Ranjan said.
His response appeared aimed at preventing the remark from becoming attached to the SP’s broader election campaign.
The controversy nevertheless comes at an awkward time for the party as Akhilesh Yadav attempts to strengthen its grassroots organisation across Uttar Pradesh.
Congress Questions BJP’s Outrage
The Congress also entered the dispute, but instead of directly targeting the SP, party leader Surendra Rajput questioned why the BJP was objecting so strongly.
“What problem does the BJP have with the statement? They’re talking among themselves,” Rajput said.
He went on to accuse the BJP of applying different standards when controversial statements emerge from other political leaders.
The reactions underline how even a single viral remark can quickly become ammunition in Uttar Pradesh’s intensely competitive political environment.
Timing Matters: Akhilesh Begins 2027 Groundwork
The controversy has emerged at a particularly important moment for Akhilesh Yadav.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister has launched a booth-level campaign as the Samajwadi Party begins preparing for the 2027 Assembly elections.
Akhilesh has intensified his attacks on the Yogi Adityanath government, recently describing it as the “most corrupt” government in Uttar Pradesh’s history.
The SP’s objective is clear: transform its improved electoral position over recent years into a serious attempt to return to power in Lucknow.
That makes messaging and discipline increasingly important as the election approaches.
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SP Wants to Build on Its 2024 Lok Sabha Performance
The Samajwadi Party won 111 seats in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections but remained well short of the number required to form a government.
Two years later, however, its performance improved dramatically at the national level.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the SP won 37 seats from Uttar Pradesh, emerging as the largest party in the state in terms of parliamentary seats.
That result significantly strengthened Akhilesh’s position and gave the opposition fresh confidence that the BJP could face a much tougher challenge in the next state election.
The 2027 contest is therefore shaping up as a crucial political test for both sides.
One Remark, Bigger Political Battle
Lal Bihari Yadav’s statement may have been intended as an exaggerated way of expressing unwavering support for Akhilesh, but its wording has allowed political rivals to interpret it very differently.
For the BJP, it represents an opportunity to accuse the SP of taking voters for granted.
For the Samajwadi Party, it is a controversy it would rather prevent from overshadowing its campaign against the state government.
And for Congress, the row has become another opportunity to accuse the BJP of selective outrage.
As campaigning gradually gathers momentum ahead of 2027, controversial remarks from leaders are likely to receive even greater scrutiny.
The immediate political damage from this episode remains unclear. But one thing is certain: Lal Bihari Yadav’s unusual “vote for a dog” analogy has ensured that a speech meant to praise Akhilesh Yadav is now being used by his opponents to attack the Samajwadi Party.
