Yogi Adityanath, Akhilesh Yadav trade barbs on social media
What's the story
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's "do namoone" (two specimens) remark in the state assembly, which was widely shared on social media, has drawn a sharp response from Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav. The comment, which was widely interpreted as a jibe at opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, has been seized upon by the latter to highlight an alleged power struggle within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Assembly session
Adityanath's assembly remarks spark controversy
Speaking in the state assembly, Adityanath said that no child had died in the state due to the Codeine cough syrup and took a dig at opposition leaders without naming them. He said, "There are two namoones (specimens), one is in Delhi, and the other in Lucknow." Earlier, Adityanath had also mocked Gandhi and Yadav, along with Tejashwi Prasad Yadav from Rashtriya Janata Dal, as "three monkeys" in the context of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).
Twitter Post
Adityanath's remarks in state assembly
कोडीन कफ सिरप से उत्तर प्रदेश के अंदर कोई मौत नहीं हुई है...
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) December 22, 2025
देश के अंदर दो नमूने हैं, एक दिल्ली में और एक लखनऊ में बैठते हैं,
जब देश में कोई चर्चा होती है तो वह तुरंत देश छोड़कर भाग जाते हैं... pic.twitter.com/vv0eabVu2S
Response
Yadav responds to Adityanath's remark, calls it a 'confession'
In response to Adityanath's "do namoone" comment, Yadav called it a "confession" of sorts. He wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "No one thought that the Delhi-Lucknow clash would reach this point." Yadav also advised those in constitutional positions to maintain decorum and not let internal party disputes spill into public view. His response came shortly after Adityanath shared a video of his assembly remarks on X.
Twitter Post
Akhilesh Yadav's retort to Adityanath
आत्म-स्वीकृति!
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) December 22, 2025
किसी को उम्मीद नहीं थी कि दिल्ली-लखनऊ की लड़ाई यहाँ तक पहुँच जाएगी। संवैधानिक पदों पर बैठे लोग आपस में कुछ तो लोक-लाज रखें और मर्यादा की सीमा न लाँघें। भाजपाई अपनी पार्टी के अंदर की खींचातानी को चौराहे पर न लाएं। कहीं कोई बुरा मान गया तो वापस जाना पड़ेगा। pic.twitter.com/99SMGEgD7M
Power tussle
Allegations of power struggle within BJP
The Samajwadi Party has often alleged a power struggle between Adityanath's government and the central BJP leadership. Those alleging this rift point to appointments of Deputy Chief Ministers and certain bureaucrats as efforts to curtail the Chief Minister's authority. However, Adityanath has dismissed such claims, asserting that he occupies his position due to party support.