JD(U) Intensifies Attack on Akhilesh Yadav Amid Row Over Alleged Codeine Racket

New Delhi, Dec 2025 : The political war of words over the alleged Codeine cough syrup racket escalated further on Sunday, as JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad launched a sharp counter-attack on Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav. Prasad accused the SP leader of spreading misinformation and levelling baseless allegations out of growing political insecurity, ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Responding to Yadav’s comments that linked the alleged illegal Codeine racket to the Prime Minister’s parliamentary constituency, Prasad said the Samajwadi Party had developed “a political habit” of making serious accusations without credible evidence. He argued that the SP’s sweeping claims of a major Lok Sabha breakthrough were beginning to unravel, exposing what he termed the party’s “hollow narrative.”

“The reality is that the Samajwadi Party is staring at a decisive defeat. This is why it is clinging to fabricated stories and misleading the public,” Prasad said. He added that instead of reflecting on its performance, the SP was “wasting energy constructing falsehoods” aimed at distracting voters.

Akhilesh Yadav earlier claimed at a press conference that an enormous illegal Codeine cough syrup racket was operating from the Prime Minister’s constituency, amounting to thousands of crores and involving hundreds of companies. Calling the matter “international in scale,” Yadav demanded stringent action against all individuals and entities involved, irrespective of party affiliation. He also accused political figures of being complicit, saying, “…A state’s Chief Minister lies, and those standing with him also lie. You can’t imagine what’s happening—an illegal cough syrup business worth thousands of crores operating from the Prime Minister’s parliamentary constituency.”

According to Yadav, the racket was “far bigger” than what the authorities had publicly acknowledged: “This is not about Rs 100 or 200 crore. It involves around 700 companies and massive transactions.” He urged investigative agencies to pursue the matter aggressively.

In rebuttal, Prasad accused the SP chief of politicising a serious issue, using selective headlines and dramatic statements to spark public outrage rather than presenting verifiable facts. He said the Samajwadi Party was attempting to cover up its own organisational weaknesses by shifting attention to unsubstantiated allegations.

The JD(U) spokesperson also turned his criticism toward the Congress party, accusing it of selectively shaping narratives about India’s freedom struggle. “Why does Congress limit the history of India’s independence to Gandhi and Nehru? Why ignore the contributions of Subhas Chandra Bose, Rajendra Prasad, Sachchidananda Sinha, Sardar Patel and others?” Prasad asked.

He alleged the Congress had reduced itself to a “Gandhi-family centric party” and was erasing even its own broader legacy.

Team Maverick