'Won't let SIR game played in Bihar be replicated in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, UP': Akhilesh Yadav

Akhilesh Yadav

As the ruling National Democratic Alliance seems to be sweeping the 2025 Bihar assembly polls, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) calling it a party of "deceit" over the Special Intensive Exercise (SIR) conducted in the state.

Yadav alleged that there has been an "electoral conspiracy" which has been exposed and that the party's PDA -- which stands for Pichhda (backward classes), Dalit, and Alpsankhyak (minorities) -- won't let the same happen in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Yadav said that 'the game of SIR played in Bihar will no longer be possible in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, UP, and other places now because this electoral conspiracy has been exposed', posting his comment on X in Hindi as the counting of votes in Bihar is underway.

"From now on, we will not let them play this game. Like CCTV, our 'PPTV' meaning 'PDA Prahari' will stay vigilant and thwart the BJP's intentions," he wrote.

"BJP is not a party, it is deceit," he said.

According to the latest trends on the Election Commission's website, the NDA was ahead in 197 assembly seats, while the opposition INDIA bloc was way behind with leads just in 41, signalling a sharp tilt in favour of the BJP-led coalition.

Within the NDA, the JD(U) was leading in 78 seats, the BJP in 88, with ally LJP (RV) (22) adding further heft to the front.

The Mahagathbandhan’s leads were anchored by the RJD’s 41 seats, followed by the Congress (4), and left parties (6).

After Bihar, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the SIR of electoral rolls in covering nearly 51 crore voters in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep. Of these, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Puducherry are scheduled to hold Assembly elections in 2026.