Kanpur, October 26, 2026: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday launched a sharp political attack on Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav and the Congress during a programme organised in Bithoor, Kanpur, to mark Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti. Taking aim at what he described as dynastic politics, the Chief Minister remarked that political power could be inherited, but wisdom could not.
“Virasat mein satta mil sakti hai, buddhi nahi” — meaning, “Power can be inherited, but not intelligence” — was the central message of his criticism of Akhilesh Yadav. Yogi Adityanath said that leadership required effort, understanding and direct engagement with people rather than relying solely on family background.
The Chief Minister’s remarks came during an event that combined political criticism with announcements relating to infrastructure, cultural heritage and public welfare. During the programme, he also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 48 development projects in Kanpur, with a reported combined value of more than ₹411 crore.
Addressing the gathering in Bithoor, Yogi Adityanath questioned the Samajwadi Party’s political approach and accused it of relying on dynastic politics. He argued that inheriting a political position did not automatically translate into the ability to govern effectively.
Taking a direct swipe at Akhilesh Yadav, the Chief Minister said that political authority might come through inheritance, but wisdom had to be developed through personal effort and experience. He also invoked the Hindi expression that a wooden pot cannot be placed on the fire repeatedly, suggesting that the Samajwadi Party could not expect to regain power simply by relying on its previous political position.
Yogi Adityanath further alleged that the SP’s earlier tenure had been marked by problems involving law and order, corruption and political favouritism. These remarks formed part of his broader criticism of the opposition’s governance record.
The Chief Minister's comments added another chapter to the ongoing political exchanges between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. Akhilesh Yadav, a former Chief Minister of the state, leads the SP, which remains one of the BJP's principal political opponents in Uttar Pradesh.
During his address, Yogi Adityanath also raised the issue of alleged illegal infiltration and questioned Akhilesh Yadav over what he described as the SP’s sympathetic position towards Bangladeshi and Pakistani infiltrators.
The Chief Minister alleged that illegal immigration could affect the access of poor and disadvantaged citizens to public resources and welfare benefits. He argued that government assistance should reach eligible beneficiaries without being diverted away from those who genuinely qualify for it.
He also criticised the SP and Congress over their positions on citizenship-related issues, including the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The legislation provides a route to Indian citizenship for eligible members of specified religious communities who migrated from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan before the statutory cutoff date.
Yogi Adityanath accused opposition parties of opposing policies that his government presents as measures to protect national interests and assist eligible migrants. These statements reflected the political differences between the BJP and opposition parties on immigration, citizenship and the distribution of welfare benefits.
The allegations made during the speech were part of the Chief Minister’s political criticism of the opposition. They should be understood as his stated position rather than as independently established findings about the conduct or motives of the parties concerned.
Yogi Adityanath also revisited the Samajwadi Party's tenure in Uttar Pradesh, particularly the period following its return to power in 2012. He alleged that the government changed the names of institutions and places associated with prominent social reformers and historical figures.
The Chief Minister referred to changes involving Sant Ravidas Nagar in Bhadohi and institutions associated with Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and Manyavar Kanshi Ram. He argued that historical personalities and social reformers deserved recognition irrespective of political differences.
According to Yogi Adityanath, his government had sought to restore recognition to important figures and develop sites associated with their lives and contributions. He presented the preservation of historical and cultural heritage as an important component of the BJP government's administrative priorities.
The remarks also reflected a wider political disagreement between the BJP and SP over the interpretation of their respective governance records, including the naming of public institutions, the protection of cultural sites and the recognition of social reformers.
The Chief Minister used the Bithoor programme to criticise the SP's record on law and order. He alleged that Uttar Pradesh experienced serious problems involving criminal activity, communal violence and the influence of powerful criminal groups during previous administrations.
He referred to incidents including the Muzaffarnagar riots and the Jawahar Bagh episode in Mathura to support his criticism of the former government. Yogi Adityanath claimed that the BJP government, which took office in 2017, had taken a different approach to policing and criminal activity.
According to the Chief Minister, his administration had prioritised public safety, the protection of traders and the creation of a more secure environment for ordinary citizens. He also linked law and order with economic development, arguing that businesses and infrastructure projects require a stable environment.
The BJP has frequently made law and order a central theme in its political messaging in Uttar Pradesh, while opposition parties have raised their own questions about governance, accountability and the actions of the state administration.
Yogi Adityanath's remarks in Kanpur continued this political contest over which party's record offers the stronger basis for governing the state.
Beyond his criticism of the opposition, Yogi Adityanath spoke about religious and cultural heritage, referring to developments in Ayodhya, Varanasi and other important places.
He highlighted the Ram temple in Ayodhya and the Kashi Vishwanath Dham project as examples of efforts to improve religious infrastructure and promote heritage tourism. He also referred to the development of sites associated with Maharishi Valmiki, Goswami Tulsidas, Shabari Mata and Nishadraj.
The Chief Minister argued that places associated with India's religious traditions and historical figures should receive attention and investment. He presented these projects as part of a broader effort to preserve cultural identity while improving facilities for visitors and devotees.
Bithoor itself has significant religious and historical associations. The area is linked with Maharishi Valmiki and the Ramayana tradition, while its history also includes connections with the events surrounding the First War of Independence in 1857.
By choosing a programme marking Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti to discuss these themes, the Chief Minister combined a cultural commemoration with a broader political message about heritage, governance and development.
Alongside the political exchanges, the programme featured a major development announcement for Kanpur and surrounding areas. Yogi Adityanath inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 48 projects with a reported combined value exceeding ₹411 crore.
The projects covered road infrastructure, educational facilities, urban development and infrastructure connected with the Defence Corridor. The Chief Minister said that investment in these areas would help improve connectivity, strengthen public facilities and support economic activity.
Among the projects inaugurated was the widening of a 16-kilometre stretch of the Mandhana–Ganga Barrage–Shuklaganj–Purwa–Mohanlalganj Road from two lanes to four lanes. The project was reported to cost more than ₹159 crore.
Another project involved internal roads, a pond, a boundary wall, a sewage treatment plant and associated infrastructure at the Kanpur node of the Defence Corridor, with an estimated cost of ₹26 crore.
The programme also included road improvement works and plans for new educational infrastructure. Two Chief Minister Model Composite Schools were among the projects for which foundation stones were laid, with a reported investment of ₹48.52 crore. A botanical garden project valued at ₹31.50 crore was also included in the development package.
These announcements formed an important part of the event, demonstrating the state government's emphasis on infrastructure alongside its political messaging.
Yogi Adityanath also highlighted government welfare programmes intended to support economically disadvantaged families, farmers, women and other eligible beneficiaries.
During the address, he referred to the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Ayushman Bharat and the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. He presented these schemes as examples of efforts to extend food security, housing, healthcare and cooking-gas connections to eligible households.
The Chief Minister cited figures relating to beneficiaries across Uttar Pradesh and argued that welfare programmes should operate without discrimination. He also mentioned scholarships for students, financial support for mass marriages under the Mukhyamantri Samuhik Vivah Yojana and initiatives related to livestock development.
Several beneficiaries received recognition during the programme, including recipients associated with housing assistance, healthcare coverage, rural development and self-employment initiatives. Sanitation workers were also honoured.
The government presented these initiatives as part of its broader development agenda, which combines infrastructure spending with social welfare measures. The figures cited during the speech were government claims and were not independently audited in the available event report.
The Chief Minister also spoke about Bithoor's place in India's cultural and historical traditions. He referred to its association with Maharishi Valmiki and the Ramayana, as well as its links to the freedom struggle of 1857.
Yogi Adityanath discussed plans and projects concerning religious sites, ghats and memorials in the region. He said that improving these locations could strengthen heritage tourism and help preserve their historical significance for future generations.
He also recalled the area's associations with Nana Saheb Peshwa, Tantia Tope and Rani Lakshmibai. These historical references were used to underline the importance of preserving sites associated with India's cultural traditions and independence movement.
The government has emphasised heritage development as a means of attracting visitors while improving infrastructure for local residents. The Chief Minister argued that such projects could support tourism and create additional economic opportunities.
The remarks in Kanpur underline the continuing political rivalry between Yogi Adityanath and Akhilesh Yadav, two prominent figures in Uttar Pradesh politics.
The BJP has repeatedly criticised the SP over dynastic politics, law and order, and its record during previous periods in government. The Samajwadi Party, meanwhile, has its own political positions and criticisms of the BJP administration. The competing claims form part of the broader political debate over governance, development, public safety and social welfare in the state.
Yogi Adityanath's comment that political power can be inherited but wisdom cannot was intended as a pointed criticism of Akhilesh Yadav's political background and leadership. By combining that remark with allegations about infiltration, law and order and cultural heritage, the Chief Minister sought to challenge the SP's record across several political issues.
The event also demonstrated how development programmes and cultural occasions can become platforms for political messaging in Uttar Pradesh.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's address in Bithoor, Kanpur, on October 26, 2026, combined a sharp attack on Akhilesh Yadav with announcements of development projects worth more than ₹411 crore.
His remark, “Virasat Mein Satta Mil Sakti Hai, Buddhi Nahi”, became the central political message of the programme, with the Chief Minister arguing that leadership requires wisdom and effort rather than simply a family legacy.
He also criticised the Samajwadi Party and Congress over their positions on infiltration, law and order and cultural heritage, while highlighting infrastructure investments and welfare initiatives undertaken by his government.
The programme brought together political debate, development announcements and the commemoration of Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti, reflecting the multiple themes shaping the state's political discourse.
Sources: Dainik Jagran and India Daily. <Cite refs={["turn137839search0","turn137839search3","turn137839search1"]}/>
