Akhilesh Yadav wears Sikh turban, warns of 'Nepal-like situation' over alleged vote theft

Samajwadi Party president and former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav, on Friday sported a Sikh turban as he addressed a press conference in Lucknow, demanding accountability from the election commission of India, amid opposition anxiety over alleged vote theft.

Flanked by a delegation of Sikh leaders who had come to meet Akhilesh Yadav regarding demands specific to the community, Yadav said he would look into all these demands once Samajwadi Party formed the government in the state.

Uttar Pradesh goes to polls in 2027. During his press conference, Yadav, alleged vote theft in crucial state elections as Mirapur, Rampur and said when elections could not be rigged,  revolvers were taken out and force was used.

Yadav, who is an important leader of the Congress-led Opposition India bloc, said it was the responsibility of the election commission to ensure that elections are held freely and fairly, and not even an iota of aspersion cast on the electoral process.

"It's the Election Commission's responsibility to ensure that no vote is stolen anywhere... Everyone knows that when they couldn't win elections through vote theft, they tried to stop the vote with the power of a revolver... If such incidents happen, it's possible that people here might take to the streets, just like what happened in our neighbouring countries,” he said.

Ahead of the press conference, Yadav sat patiently as one of the Sikh delegates visiting him and tied the turban.

The video went viral with Sikhs hailing Yadav's "Sardar look".