Bhubaneswar, January 17: Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav met BJD Chief Naveen Patnaik on Saturday, describing the meeting as a casual discussion. However, the meeting has fueled speculations about the potential for a joint strategy to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) through democratic means and public support.
Speaking to reporters in Bhubaneswar, Akhilesh commended Patnaik as a senior and respected leader who is deeply committed to the welfare of the poor. The meeting, which took place on Friday, primarily focused on political issues.
"Two former Chief Ministers met to discuss our concerns and decided to work towards removing the BJP from power," Akhilesh said, without going into further details about their discussions.
The SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav addressed a press meet here on Saturday and emphasized the need for universal healthcare, calling for "healthy India" to be treated as a national mission, rather than a mere slogan. He criticized the Ayushman Bharat insurance scheme, arguing that the treatment caps and limitations on health cards restrict access to necessary care, particularly for the poor. He called for free treatment for severe illnesses, such as cancer and kidney diseases, in government hospitals, with no budgetary limits.
“Our position as a socialist party is clear: any poor person reaching a hospital should receive free treatment for all diseases. We are opposed to the card-based system, as no health issue can be solved this way,” the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister stated.
Akhilesh also suggested that the government use artificial intelligence and telemedicine to address the gap in healthcare access in rural areas, where medical facilities remain inadequate.
The SP leader further accused the Union government of misusing central agencies, such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the Income Tax Department, to target opposition leaders and independent media. He also alleged that communal tensions were being exploited for political gain, referencing incidents of violence linked to political motives in Uttar Pradesh.
On the topic of electoral transparency, Akhilesh raised concerns about the accuracy of voter lists, claiming that nearly three crore voters were removed during the revision process in Uttar Pradesh. He announced plans to challenge the voter list in the Supreme Court to verify its accuracy.
“We will approach the Supreme Court to determine whether the voter list prepared by the Election Commission is valid, or if the list compiled by the State Election Commission is more accurate,” he asserted.
Akhilesh also expressed doubts about the reliability of electronic voting machines (EVMs), noting that countries like Germany and Japan do not use them in their elections.
Addressing economic concerns, he questioned the government’s claim of doubling farmers’ incomes, citing the rising costs of fertilizers, pesticides, and electricity. He also called for stricter environmental impact assessments for industries, arguing that industrial growth should not come at the expense of public health.
