The Opposition will ensure the accountability of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh, said Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday after he took oath as an MLA.
Mr. Yadav, who won the Assembly election from Karhal seat, would serve as the Leader of the Opposition, pitting him directly against his opponent Yogi Adityanath, who was elected Chief Minister for a second term. Mr. Adityanath also won the Assembly election form Gorakhpur Urban seat.
Mr. Yadav, who resigned from his Lok Sabha seat of Azamgarh, told reporters he had previously also been a member of the State legislature.
"Only the bench has changed. I used to sit in the paksh [ruling], now I will sit in the vipaksh (Opposition)," Mr. Yadav said.
The former U.P. CM said the Opposition will "work for the accountability of the government". The Opposition's role will be positive, he said.
Mr. Adityanath said he hoped the newly-elected members would follow the decorum and tradition of the House and conduct the proceedings in a peaceful manner. In the House, Mr. Adityanath and Mr. Yadav greeted each other with smiles and a handshake, in contrast to the high–pitched personal attacks made against each other by both sides during the election.
Unlike the last tenure, the Opposition ranks are bolstered this time as the SP and its allies managed to win 125 seats in the 403–member Assembly. In 2017, the main Opposition SP had only 47 seats against the BJP alliance's 325.
In the 2022 election, the BJP alliance overcame a spirited campaign by the SP and retained power comfortably though with a fairly decreased seat tally of 273.
Since the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress were almost wiped out, winning just three seats between them, the SP looks set to play the role of Opposition voice in the Assembly.
