On a day when Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath left for a four-day visit to Singapore and Japan to woo investors, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday made an “offer” to make any BJP leader the chief minister who can bring 100 MLAs to him.ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEOWithout naming anyone, Akhilesh Yadav, in a press conference in Lucknow, said, “It appears he (Yogi Adityanath) would have flown out of India. We are reviving the offer—100 vidhayak laiye aur Mukhya Mantri ban jaiye (Bring 100 MLAs with you and become the chief minister).“Mann to dono ka hi hai. Jo layega wo payega. 100 ka offer fir ho gaya. Isse acha mauka kya milega (Both want to be the CM. Who will bring, will get the opportunity. There will not be a better opportunity than this),” the SP chief added.When asked about Akhilesh’s remark, SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said the offer was for both the Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, and also for every other leader in the BJP who was upset with the government.However, he added that Akhilesh made the remark in a “lighter vein”.Notably, only the BJP and SP have more than 100 MLAs in the 403-member UP Assembly.This is the third time Akhilesh has made such an offer.Story continues below this adIn December 2022, during a public meeting in Rampur, Akhilesh had offer same proposal categorically to both the deputy CMs. “There are two deputy CMs moving around. Both are looking for a chance to become chief minister. I have offered in the past too, and giving this offer again from Rampur: Bring your 100 MLAs, we 100 MLAs are ready with you. Form a government and become the chief minister. What is there in deputy CM?” Akhilesh had said, claiming that one deputy CM was not able to transfer a doctor of his department, and another Deputy CM was given a department, which has no budget.In the 2022 UP polls, SP had won 111 MLAs, and Akhilesh was elected as an MLA from Karhal. Yadav is currently an MP from Kannauj.“The SP had won 111 seats in the 2022 elections, and the support of another 100 MLAs can help us in crossing the 202-majority mark and form the government,” a SP leader said, explaining the offer.Later on July 18, 2024, Akilesh, in a cryptic post on X, had made the same offer: “Monsoon offer: Sau lao, Sarkar banao.” (Bring hundred, form government).Story continues below this adThen he had made the offer amid speculation of a rift within the UP BJP over Lok Sabha results in which the SP-Congress alliance had given a blow to the BJP-led NDA in UP.Lalmani is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, and is based in New Delhi. He covers politics of the Hindi Heartland, tracking BJP, Samajwadi Party, BSP, RLD and other parties based in UP, Bihar and Uttarakhand. Covered the Lok Sabha elections of 2014, 2019 and 2024; Assembly polls of 2012, 2017 and 2022 in UP along with government affairs in UP and Uttarakhand. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Akhilesh YadavYogi Adityanath