Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing one of its spokespersons of using derogatory language against an AAP MLA of Purvanchali origin during a televised debate. He claimed the remark showcased BJP's "narrow-minded" attitude toward people from the Purvanchal region.

Yadav condemned the incident in a post on X, stating, "It is deeply unfortunate and unacceptable that a BJP national spokesperson distorted the surname of a Delhi-based AAP MLA on a national news channel and used a highly offensive term. This reflects BJP's historically negative mindset toward people from UP, Bihar, and Purvanchal."

He added that the matter couldn’t be resolved with a mere apology, emphasizing that the verbal insult would leave a lasting impact on Purvanchalis. "This issue goes beyond an apology. Purvanchalis, who have faced this verbal assault, will never forget it," Yadav remarked.

AAP's National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal echoed Yadav's sentiments, alleging that BJP leaders frequently resort to abusive language. He predicted that Purvanchalis would express their discontent in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.

"Akhilesh, the remarks by the BJP spokesperson reveal the party's true mentality. Their leaders hurl abuses day and night—sometimes at women, sometimes at the Purvanchal community. The bigger the insult, the higher the position they receive. These words, aimed at the entire Purvanchal society, are disgraceful. But Purvanchalis will respond to this insult with their votes," Kejriwal posted on X.

The political atmosphere in Delhi is heating up ahead of the upcoming elections, with a three-way contest expected between AAP, BJP, and Congress. While Congress, which ruled Delhi for 15 years, has struggled in recent elections, AAP dominated the 2020 polls, securing 62 out of 70 seats, leaving BJP with just eight.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from PTI