Hyderabad, December 12, 2025 - Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav has launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing them of conspiring to delete votes in areas where they have suffered electoral losses. Yadav alleges that the BJP is using the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as a pretext to remove voters who are not aligned with the ruling party. He claims this is effectively the National Register of Citizens (NRC) implemented "in disguise".
Speaking to the media in Hyderabad, Yadav, who was in the city to attend the Vision India–AI Summit, voiced concerns that approximately three crore votes are at risk of deletion in Uttar Pradesh. He argued that the Election Commission should be focused on increasing voter participation rather than facilitating mass deletions. "If votes are removed on such a scale... and if this is done with the Election Commission's complicity, then it amounts to a conspiracy against democracy," Yadav stated. "This is not the purpose of SIR".
Yadav elaborated on his claim that the SIR is essentially a disguised NRC, stating, "They could not implement NRC directly. Now they have brought it through the back door. The same documents are being demanded". He highlighted that people are being asked to produce various documents, but Aadhaar, which contains detailed individual information, including iris scans and fingerprints, is not being accepted. This, he argues, is causing unnecessary distress to the public. He referenced the difficulties faced by people due to demonetization and the implementation of GST, adding that SIR is another way of "bothering people".
Yadav also raised concerns about the Election Commission's impartiality, particularly in light of recent by-elections in Uttar Pradesh. He claimed that numerous complaints were filed, but no action was taken. He alleged that the BJP government and the Election Commission are planning to delete over 50,000 voters in each Assembly constituency won by the SP or the INDIA bloc, using SIR as a pretext, with a focus on Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. He urged the Election Commission to extend the timeline for the voter roll cleanup exercise in Uttar Pradesh, especially since SIR is being carried out during wedding season.
In a veiled criticism of the BJP, Yadav stated that those who never supported Vande Mataram or the Tricolour are now giving certificates of patriotism. He also unveiled his party's 'Vision India' initiative, aimed at addressing societal challenges and harnessing technological capabilities to connect youths with the technological agenda. He emphasized the importance of India moving forward with technological advancements, particularly in sectors like agriculture and healthcare.
Furthermore, Yadav expressed his solidarity with former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and former minister KT Rama Rao, referring to them as his "constant companions".
