November 5, 2025 | Lucknow

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has taken a sharp swipe at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath after the latter compared him, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav to Mahatma Gandhi’s “three monkeys.” Responding during a campaign event ahead of the Bihar elections, Akhilesh said that if Yogi Adityanath sat among a group of monkeys, no one would be able to tell the difference.

“The BJP is remembering Gandhiji’s three monkeys to distract people from real issues,” Akhilesh said. “The truth is, if he sat among monkeys, neither you nor I could recognize him.” His comment was a retort to Yogi Adityanath’s earlier jibe during a rally in Muzaffarpur, where the Chief Minister called the three opposition leaders “Appu, Pappu, and Tappu,” accusing them of trying to mislead the people of Bihar.

Adityanath had claimed that Bihar suffered high crime rates under the RJD’s rule but has improved under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s leadership, with better employment and reduced violence. He urged voters to reject divisive politics and support the NDA government for continued progress.

Bihar now braces for a closely watched Assembly election, with the first phase of voting taking place tomorrow and results due on November 14. The ruling NDA alliance, consisting of JDU, BJP, LJP, and HAM, faces off against the opposition Mahagathbandhan, which includes RJD, Congress, the Left parties, and VIP.

As campaign rhetoric heats up, the exchange between Akhilesh Yadav and Yogi Adityanath has added a spark of political theatre to an already intense election season, highlighting how personal barbs and humor have become part of India’s election playbook.

The upcoming Bihar polls will not only test alliances but also reveal how deeply such fiery exchanges sway public sentiment amid promises of development, employment, and stability.

Akhilesh’s Monkey Comeback Steals the Bihar Poll Spotlight

The Bihar election trail just got a dose of political drama and humour. After UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath mocked Akhilesh Yadav, Rahul Gandhi, and Tejashwi Yadav as “Appu, Pappu, and Tappu,” Akhilesh fired back with a cheeky retort — saying that if Yogi sat among monkeys, no one would be able to tell who’s who.

The remark came during Akhilesh’s campaign rally, where he accused the BJP of distracting voters with name-calling instead of addressing real issues like unemployment and price rise. The exchange has gone viral, adding a new twist to Bihar’s high-voltage political scene.

Yogi Adityanath, meanwhile, continues to push the NDA’s narrative of “development and stability,” praising Nitish Kumar’s governance and warning against what he calls “jungle raj” under the opposition.

With Bihar’s first phase of polling kicking off tomorrow, this monkey metaphor may have just become the wildest election moment yet. Politics, it seems, can always find new ways to entertain — and sting.