Akhilesh Yadav backs CJP protests, saying the youth movement forced the government to respond to examination-related concerns.
Yadav says Congress sought 181 of Uttar Pradesh's 403 Assembly seats amid ongoing SP-Congress seat-sharing discussions.
Owaisi and Chandrashekhar Azad launch an alliance, potentially challenging sections of the SP's Muslim-Dalit support base.
Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday backed the youth-led protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), saying his party had always stood with young people. He described the movement as a significant achievement for the youth, arguing that it had forced the government to respond to concerns over examination irregularities.
Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2026, Yadav was asked about the CJP and its demonstrations, which he linked to the resignation of an education minister over examination-related issues.
“The Samajwadi Party has always stood with young people,” Yadav said.
He linked the protests to concerns over students' futures, saying the movement had brought parents and other sections of society into the demonstrations.
Akhilesh Yadav On CJP Youth Protests
Yadav said the protests were driven by anger over the government's handling of examination-related issues and their impact on students and their families.
“When these young people saw how the government was playing with their children's futures, they came out and protested. Not just the students, but their parents also joined them. This movement has made people more aware,” he said.
He said the demonstrations had taken the issue beyond students directly affected by examination-related problems and made more people aware of their concerns.
Yadav also described the protests as an example of young people coming together to demand accountability from those in power.
Akhilesh Yadav On Gen Z Expectations
Speaking about Gen Z and the younger generation, Yadav said young people wanted clarity from political leaders rather than promises that could not be fulfilled.
“They want clarity about what is possible and what is not,” he said, stressing that political leaders could no longer rely on promises without explaining how they would be delivered.
In a separate remark on the youth movement, Yadav said, “Lathi will lose, laptop will win”, drawing a contrast between the use of force and the aspirations of young people.
Social Media And Political Accountability
Yadav also spoke about the role of social media and internet access in changing how governments and political leaders are held accountable.
“Given the reach of social media and the penetration of the internet in society today, you cannot get away with lying to people. Ultimately, even the Prime Minister had to acknowledge the issue, and a minister had to be removed. That was the biggest achievement of the youth,” he said.
He presented the minister's resignation as a key outcome of the demonstrations and said the government's response reflected the pressure created by the movement.
On Congress-SP Seat Sharing
Yadav also spoke about seat-sharing discussions with the Congress ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
He said the Congress had sought 181 of the state's 403 Assembly seats, while the Samajwadi Party had already decided how many seats it would contest.
At the summit, Yadav described relations between the two INDIA bloc allies as “very good”. His remarks came amid discussions over the seat-sharing arrangement between the parties ahead of the state elections.
Owaisi-Azad Alliance Adds New Dimension To UP Polls
Meanwhile, Asaduddin Owaisi and Chandra Shekhar Azad have announced a new alliance for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, naming it the Samajik Parivartan Morcha (SPM). The alliance has projected Azad as its chief ministerial candidate and announced plans to contest all 403 Assembly seats.
The two leaders announced the alliance on Thursday and said it aimed to prevent the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from securing a third consecutive term in the state. They also invited opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party and Congress, to join the front.
The alliance brings together Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Azad's Azad Samaj Party (Kanshiram). Both leaders have sought to build support among Dalits, Muslims, backward classes and other marginalised communities.
Vote Bank Arithmetic
Dalits account for approximately 21% of Uttar Pradesh's population, while Muslims constitute around 19%. Together, the two communities make up nearly 40% of the state's population, making their electoral support significant in several constituencies.
Around 41 Assembly constituencies have a combined Dalit-Muslim electorate exceeding 50%, according to estimates cited in reports on the state's electoral composition.
Muslim voters are spread across a wider electoral map. At least 143 Assembly constituencies have a significant Muslim presence, including 70 seats where they account for 20-30% of the population and 73 where their share exceeds 30%.
These constituencies are concentrated particularly in Rohilkhand, including Bareilly, Moradabad, Rampur and Bijnor, and the Upper Doab region, covering Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur and adjoining areas.
SP's Vote Base Faces A Challenge
The emergence of the Samajik Parivartan Morcha adds another dimension to the opposition's electoral calculations ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
The SP has traditionally drawn considerable support from Muslim voters, alongside its efforts to consolidate backward classes and Dalits under its PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) strategy.
Owaisi and Azad's alliance could bring a new contest for sections of this support base. The AIMIM has a political presence among Muslim voters, while the Azad Samaj Party has sought to expand its support among Dalit communities.
Any shift in support towards the new alliance could affect the SP's electoral calculations, particularly in constituencies where the Muslim and Dalit vote is significant. However, the extent of its impact will depend on the alliance's ability to build a grassroots organisation and mobilise voters beyond the existing support bases of its two constituent parties.
The new political arrangement also comes as the SP and Congress continue discussions over their seat-sharing formula for the 2027 elections.
