By Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday stepped up his criticism of the Samajwadi Party, describing the party as a “private limited company” and alleging that the Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) in Lucknow represents financial mismanagement and what he called “institutionalised corruption.”
Addressing a public meeting in Deoria, Adityanath alleged that the project, conceived during the previous SP government, was initially estimated to cost around ₹200 crore but later rose to ₹864 crore without being completed. He accused the previous government of misusing public funds and demanded that SP president Akhilesh Yadav apologise to the people over the project.
Yogi questions JPNIC cost escalation
Adityanath said the state could have to spend another ₹150-200 crore if it decides to complete or revive the project.
According to the Chief Minister, the project was intended to be developed using government funds but subsequently operated through a private entity. He alleged that facilities such as a hotel, club and gym were planned, with the resulting revenue potentially benefiting private interests linked to the political leadership.
He also criticised SP leaders Dimple Yadav and Dharmendra Yadav while making his allegations.
The Chief Minister said that after the BJP government came to power in 2017, the project was handed over to the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA), which conducted an inquiry into the project. He said the findings were subsequently made public through an advertisement.
Adityanath maintained that his government was reluctant to put additional public money into the project and instead sought arrangements under which the money already spent could ultimately return to the state treasury.
JPNIC project now at centre of political dispute
The JPNIC was conceived in 2013 during the Akhilesh Yadav-led government as a major project commemorating socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan.
After the BJP came to power in 2017, construction was stopped and an inquiry was ordered into alleged financial and procedural irregularities.
The issue resurfaced recently after the state Cabinet decided on August 25 to lease the JPNIC project to a private consortium for 35 years.
The decision drew criticism from Akhilesh Yadav, who described the move as an attempt to hand over a public asset created with taxpayers’ money to private interests.
Adityanath, meanwhile, defended his government’s handling of the project and continued his attack on the SP’s leadership structure.
‘SP will meet the fate of Janata Dal’, says Yogi
The Chief Minister said the Samajwadi Party’s internal structure was dominated by one family and compared its future with the decline of the Janata Dal.
He argued that the party’s survival should not be attributed simply to the presence of family members in Parliament and warned that the SP could eventually face the same fate as the Janata Dal.
Yogi announces government jobs for one lakh youth
Moving from his attack on the opposition to employment, Adityanath said the state government would soon provide government jobs to one lakh young people.
He said the recruitment drive would include 45,000 Home Guards and 36,000 police personnel, including 4,000 sub-inspectors.
The Chief Minister also said appointment letters would be issued to around 30,000 candidates through the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission for posts in different departments.
He further announced plans to distribute tablets to two crore young people. More than 50 lakh youths have already received tablets, he claimed, while another order covering 2.5 lakh devices has been placed. The devices will be provided to students in their final year of graduation.
Yogi revisits encephalitis deaths in eastern UP
Adityanath also referred to the long-running encephalitis problem in eastern Uttar Pradesh, particularly in districts such as Gorakhpur, Deoria, Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Sant Kabir Nagar, Basti and Siddharthnagar.
He recalled the fear that families in the region faced during the monsoon and winter months, when encephalitis cases were reported regularly.
The Chief Minister blamed previous SP and Congress governments for failing to adequately address the issue and claimed that around 50,000 people died over four decades.
He contrasted the situation before 2017 with his government’s focus on healthcare, education and basic facilities, alleging that children earlier studied in poor conditions, girls dropped out of school and disadvantaged communities struggled to access food and other essential services.
Free bus travel scheme becomes another political flashpoint
Adityanath also referred to the Uttar Pradesh government’s recently announced free bus travel scheme for women aged 60 and above.
Taking another swipe at the Samajwadi Party, he claimed that the opposition responded to the government’s announcement by quickly organising a press conference.
The Chief Minister’s remarks in Deoria combined an attack on the previous SP government with a broader pitch around development, employment, healthcare and welfare schemes, as the political focus in Uttar Pradesh increasingly turns towards the next Assembly election.
