'Naming things after PM because they are losing power': Akhilesh Yadav
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticizes the decision to rename Jewar Airport after PM Modi, claiming it is a move to leave a mark before losing power.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following the decision to rename the Jewar International Airport after Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking to the media in Deoria, Uttar Pradesh, the SP leader suggested that the renaming is a desperate attempt by the ruling administration to leave a lasting legacy as they fear losing their political grip.
'Leaving a mark' before the end
During a visit to Raksha village to attend a condolence meeting for former Samajwadi Party MLA Suresh Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav did not mince words regarding the recent administrative decisions. He claimed that the Chief Minister is primarily focused on changing names rather than addressing public concerns.
"This Chief Minister is known for changing names. They are naming things after the Prime Minister because their own chair is about to be snatched away," Yadav remarked. He further elaborated that those who feel their time in power is nearing an end often seek to cement their influence through such symbolic gestures.
The SP leader added:
"Those who are leaving want to put someone else’s name so that they leave a mark — that look, we did such a big thing for the double-engine government. The double-engine government has no work for the public. People who are leaving only want to leave their name as a reminder."
The decision to rename Jewar Airport
The controversy follows an official announcement by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. In a recent press conference in Lucknow, the Chief Minister confirmed that the Uttar Pradesh Council of Ministers had passed a resolution to officially name the Noida International Airport as the 'Narendra Modi International Airport, Noida-Jewar'.
The move comes as a tribute to the Prime Minister, marking 25 years of continuous public service in a government role. Chief Minister Adityanath described the Prime Minister as a "Karmayogi" and credited him with driving the growth and renewed confidence of Uttar Pradesh.
A major aviation hub for India
The Jewar airport is set to become a massive infrastructure milestone for the state. Highlighting its importance, the Chief Minister stated:
- It is poised to become Uttar Pradesh's largest airport.
- It is expected to evolve into the country's largest aviation hub in the future.
- The Council expressed gratitude to the PM for gifting this project to the state.
While the government frames the renaming as a gesture of gratitude for a landmark development project, the opposition continues to view it through the lens of political survival and symbolic legacy-building.