Lucknow: In a festive twist laced with political intrigue, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav has pledged that a PDA government in Uttar Pradesh by 2027 will splash crores on locally crafted diyas, igniting debates on whether this is a heartfelt promise or a savvy bid to douse backlash from his recent remarks on Diwali extravagance.
Taking to X on Saturday, Yadav extended Diwali greetings with a vow tailored to the Prajapati community, artisans renowned for diya-making. “For UP’s Prajapati society, we pledge: On Diwali 2027, the PDA government will buy their diyas worth crores, ensuring their homes glow with festival light for months,” he posted, blending cultural reverence with electoral allure. The announcement swiftly drew cheers from supporters, who hailed it as championing local livelihoods, but critics dismissed it as opportunistic optics.
Yadav’s post comes amid accusations against the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government for sidelining UP’s potters by procuring diyas from distant coastal states. “The BJP snatches the Prajapati society’s rightful share, handing it to outsiders. We want UP’s diya, wick, oil, and light — BJP mustn’t cast shadows under the lamp’s glow,” he lambasted, urging a return to indigenous traditions. His words resonate deeply in a state where Diwali’s Deepotsav in Ayodhya recently dazzled with a Guinness record of 26 lakh lamps, yet local artisans cry foul over lost contracts.
The timing raises eyebrows, hot on the heels of Yadav’s Friday critique questioning the Yogi regime’s lavish annual spends on Ayodhya illuminations. “Why pour crores yearly into diyas when the world celebrates Christmas with enduring lights? We must learn from them,” he had mused, sparking fury from Hindu hardliners.
VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal fired back, branding Yadav a “Yaduvanshi jihadist” more fond of foreign festivals than Hindu rites, accusing him of shielding conversions and criminals in his erstwhile cabinet. “Diwali predates Christianity—now Hindus must learn from Christians on our sacred soil?” Bansal thundered.
As Uttar Pradesh gears up for 2027 polls, Yadav’s diya pledge could rally backward castes under the PDA banner—Pichhde, Dalit, Alpsankhyak—while fending off charges of cultural insensitivity. Yet, with BJP touting Ayodhya’s grandeur as Ram Rajya’s emblem, the opposition’s festive gambit risks fizzling like a faulty wick. Will it illuminate votes or merely flicker in the political bonfire?