‘Those Who Keep Changing Names…’: Akhilesh, CJP, Congress Target Yogi Over ‘Walking Away’ From Press Conference

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has come under attack from opposition parties after a video showed him apparently walking away from a press conference as a journalist tried to ask a question.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a swipe at the BJP leader, saying that if journalists could not ask questions, press conferences should instead be called “press monologues”.

The controversy comes at a politically crucial time, with Uttar Pradesh scheduled to hold its next Assembly election in February 2027. Yogi Adityanath remains the BJP's central face in the state as the party intensifies its outreach ahead of the polls.

What did Akhilesh Yadav say?

Without directly naming Yogi Adityanath, Akhilesh posted on X that those who “keep changing names” should also change the name of a press conference to a “press monologue” if only statements are to be made.

He questioned the relevance of the word “conference” when journalists do not have an opportunity to ask questions or engage in a dialogue.

Akhilesh also shared a video purportedly showing a woman journalist asking Yogi for a question as the chief minister was leaving after the press conference at the BJP's state headquarters in Lucknow.

“The truth is that there is a flood of questions in Uttar Pradesh, but they have no answers,” Akhilesh said, according to PTI. He added that turning away and leaving could also be described as “running away”.

What was Yogi's press conference about?

Yogi Adityanath's press conference was held alongside Uttar Pradesh BJP chief and Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary.

The two leaders announced a month-long “Seva Sankalp Abhiyan”, scheduled from September 17 to October 17, to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 25 years in public service.

Yogi outlined programmes to be organised across Uttar Pradesh, while Chaudhary highlighted the achievements of the Modi government at the Centre and the BJP-led state government.

Opposition turns incident into political attack

The incident quickly became another point of confrontation between the BJP and opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh.

Akhilesh accused the BJP government of “discrimination” in governance and described its press conferences as relying on one-sided rhetoric.

The Congress and CJP also joined the criticism, turning the video of Yogi's departure into a wider debate over whether political leaders should face questions from journalists.

The episode has added to an increasingly combative political atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 Assembly election.

Yogi remains BJP's key face for 2027

Despite the criticism, Yogi Adityanath remains central to the BJP's election strategy in Uttar Pradesh.

The BJP has intensified its outreach across the state, with Yogi visiting more than 44 of Uttar Pradesh's 75 districts since May to inaugurate or lay foundation stones for projects worth more than ₹38,000 crore across 115 Assembly constituencies.

The party is particularly focused on constituencies where the SP-Congress alliance had performed strongly during the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

With only months remaining before the 2027 polls, exchanges between Yogi and Akhilesh are likely to become increasingly sharp as both sides seek to shape the political narrative in India's most populous state.

What happened at the press conference?

The available report says a woman journalist attempted to ask Yogi a question as he was leaving the venue. Akhilesh used the footage to accuse the chief minister of avoiding questions.

There is no indication in the report that Yogi made a public statement explaining why he left at that moment. The political criticism therefore remains centred on the interpretation of the video and the opposition's allegations.

The incident has nevertheless given the opposition fresh ammunition to attack the BJP government's communication style—and the phrase “press monologue” has become the latest political jab aimed at Yogi Adityanath.