‘Public will thrash BJP’: Akhilesh Yadav takes jibe at Yogi govt over power cut complaints amid heatwave in UP

AMid complaints of force cuts in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi company chief Akhilesh Yadav on midweek launched a tart assail on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, accusing the BJP government of failing to manage the electricity situation in the state.In a post on X, Yadav questioned the functioning of the state government and took a swipe at what he described as a lack of coordination between the Chief Minister and Uttar Pradesh Energy Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma. “Agle chunav main janata BJP ko acche se dho-patakkar hamesha ke liye sukha degi (In the next election, the public will thoroughly thrash the BJP and dry it up for good). Thank goodness UP's 'failed Chief Minister' didn't say that behind this 'great electricity disaster' is a conspiracy by the envoy sent by Delhi. It should be clarified whether the Electricity Minister doesn't attend the Chief Minister's review meetings or is not invited. If he does attend, the honourable one is requested to post a photo with a hand on the shoulder--the public might get some relief from your 'mutual warmth', because the public has never seen the two of you together,” Yadav said.Opposition raises questions over government responseThe Samajwadi Party chief also criticised the government’s handling of public anger over electricity outages. Referring to the deployment of Pradeshik Armed Constabulary personnel at electricity substations, he alleged that the BJP government was attempting to shield itself from criticism instead of addressing the concerns of residents facing disruptions.Also read | UP’s power consumption jumps over 113% in 12 years as access expands“In BJP rule, PAC is deployed at electricity sub-stations, and MLAs-MPs write letters against their own government, cowardly trying to escape the public's anger. There's no current left in the BJP now,” he added.Yadav’s remarks came as the Uttar Pradesh government continued to defend its power supply management and highlighted record electricity distribution figures in the state.UP’s power consumption jumps over 113% in 12 yearsUP’s annual electricity consumption has more than doubled over the past 12 years, reflecting not merely a rise in demand but also a structural transformation in the state’s power sector, with the expanding consumer base and longer supply hours apparently unlocking previously unmet demand.Also read | UP records highest-ever power supply, surpasses Maharashtra in peak demand fulfilment, says Yogi Adityanath governmentData from the Uttar Pradesh State Load Dispatch Centre (UPSLDC) shows annual energy consumption increasing from 76,574.6 million units (MU) in 2012-13 to 1,62,858.1 MU in 2025-26, a rise of over 113%. Average daily consumption also more than doubled from 209.8 MU to 445.7 MU during the period, earlier HT reported.UP records highest-ever power supply, says YogiAmid soaring summer temperatures, Uttar Pradesh recorded its highest-ever electricity supply by meeting a peak demand of 31,824 MW on May 24, the state government said on May 26.The government claimed the achievement placed Uttar Pradesh ahead of Maharashtra, which supplied 29,463 MW during the same period, making it the highest power supply recorded by any state in the country so far.According to officials, the record peak demand was successfully met at 10:29 pm on May 24. Earlier in 2025, the highest recorded peak demand in the state stood at 31,486 MW, earlier HT reported.Energy minister highlights record supply figuresMeanwhile, Energy Minister AK Sharma said Uttar Pradesh had achieved its highest-ever electricity supply and claimed the state was setting new benchmarks in power distribution.“We are providing the highest power supply in the history of Uttar Pradesh. This morning at 2:33 AM, the peak supply of Uttar Pradesh crossed 31,000 MW. Now, at 10:01 PM, breaking all previous records, our peak supply has reached 31,774 MW. It may reach 32,000 MW tonight itself. Believe me, this is the highest in the history of the state. It is also the highest in the country. We have broken our own record,” he posted on X on Sunday.(With inputs from HT correspondents, PTI)