‘Do Namoone’ Remark Sparks Yogi–Akhilesh Clash in UP Assembly

Uttar Pradesh politics witnessed a sharp flashpoint on December 22, 2025, after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath used the phrase "do namoone" during an Assembly debate, prompting an immediate and pointed response from Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. The exchange quickly escalated into a wider political row, with the opposition claiming the remark exposed internal tensions within the BJP and hinted at a power tussle between Delhi and Lucknow.

The confrontation unfolded during a heated discussion in the Assembly on allegations of smuggling of Codeine-based cough syrup. Opposition members accused the state government of failing to act in time and linked the alleged lapses to the deaths of children. Rejecting the charge outright, Yogi Adityanath asserted that no child had died in Uttar Pradesh due to the cough syrup, dismissing the allegations as baseless.

While rebutting the opposition, the Chief Minister then turned his fire towards rival leaders, without naming anyone directly. Addressing Samajwadi Party members, he said there were "two namoones"-one sitting in Delhi and another in Lucknow-who, according to him, leave the country whenever serious national debates take place. He added that a similar pattern could soon be seen with the opposition's "babua", suggesting frequent foreign trips while party workers continue protests at home.

Though no names were mentioned, the remark was widely interpreted by legislators and political observers as a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and Akhilesh Yadav, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and now an MP. Yogi Adityanath later shared a clip of his speech on X from his official handle, linking his denial of cough syrup-related deaths with the broader political attack.

Akhilesh Yadav responded within minutes on social media, arguing that the Chief Minister's comment amounted to an admission of friction within the BJP. He claimed the reference to "two namoones" reflected an ongoing struggle between the party's central leadership and its state leadership in Uttar Pradesh.

The episode followed sustained opposition pressure in the Assembly, where parties alleged that stricter action against illegal cough syrup smuggling could have prevented hundreds of child deaths and demanded accountability from the government. Yogi Adityanath, however, remained firm in his assertion that such deaths had not occurred in the state.

The latest clash adds to a series of sharp political exchanges between the two leaders. Earlier, during a campaign speech ahead of the Bihar elections, Yogi Adityanath had targeted Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav with a controversial comparison, accusing them of lacking the ability to speak, see or hear the truth.

The Samajwadi Party has long maintained that the BJP's state government and its central leadership are engaged in a quiet contest for influence in Uttar Pradesh. Citing decisions such as the choice of deputy chief ministers and key bureaucratic appointments, the party argues that efforts have been made to curb Yogi Adityanath's authority. The "do namoone" remark, the opposition now claims, is another sign of those underlying tensions spilling into the open.