Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday hit out at Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak over his remarks urging Muslims to stop backing the SP, calling it “political suicide.”
Pathak, in a recent interview with a private news channel, had appealed to minorities to “take charge of their leadership” and questioned how long “Abdul” would continue to “spread the rug” for the SP.
Yadav hit back on X, "The frustration of defeat spoils one's language. This reflects his own experience of laying rugs. Earlier, he laid them elsewhere, and now he is not even fit to do so where he is. He has himself been made 'dari' (rug)."
Pathak joined the BJP after defecting from the Bahujan Samaj Party.
Yadav, the former chief minister, alleged that Pathak was "mentally unsettled" and out of touch with his own responsibilities.
"We will not react with anger to his abusive words but rather sympathise with him, as he appears disoriented and imbalanced these days. He may not even remember which ministry he holds, which is why it is suffering," he said.
The SP chief accused Pathak of focusing on "collecting scattered coins of corruption" instead of governance.
He also referred to alleged political opportunism, saying, "Despite the grave insult to revered Shankaracharya and his disciples, he chose to remain silent for political gains."
He termed Pathak's remark an insult to the PDA, an acronym he often uses to refer to the Pichhda, Dalit, and Alpsankhyak community.
"PDA people will impose a political blockade against him. Even his own party may show him the door. He has given his leadership an excuse to remove him," Yadav said.
"This is not a statement. This is political suicide. He no longer belongs to any section — neither Sanatan, nor his own community, nor politics. His present and future in politics are finished," Yadav added.
In an interview with a private channel, Pathak appealed to the minority community to take charge of its own leadership.
"The Samajwadi Party will be reduced to a 'do take ki party' (marginal force) and will not be able to win even a corporator’s seat. The minority community should choose its own leaders.
"How long will 'Abdul' continue to do 'dari bichhane ka kaam' for the Samajwadi Party? Whenever we undertake any work, we build partnerships and give leadership to those who have a larger stake," Pathak said.
(With inputs from PTI)