The political dispute between the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal over the “chavanni to rupee” remark has widened after BSP chief Mayawati entered the controversy.

Mayawati strongly criticised SP president Akhilesh Yadav over his remark about the RLD and its president Jayant Chaudhary. She described the statement as improper, indecent and shameful and said Yadav should apologise not only to the RLD and Jayant Chaudhary but also to the wider Jat community.

 Mayawati demands an apology

Mayawati linked the controversy to the political legacy of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, Jayant Chaudhary’s grandfather. She argued that the remark had gone beyond criticism of a political alliance and amounted to disrespect toward the family associated with a prominent Jat leader.

Her intervention comes at a politically sensitive time in Uttar Pradesh, where parties are preparing for the 2027 Assembly elections and working to strengthen their social and electoral coalitions.

 Mayawati accuses SP of changing colours after alliances

Mayawati also broadened her criticism beyond the controversial remark. She accused the Samajwadi Party of changing its attitude toward alliance partners once their immediate political purpose had been served.

The BSP chief has made similar allegations against the SP in the past. Earlier this month, she accused the party of changing colours like a chameleon and warned voters against what she described as its narrow and caste-based politics.

 How did the ‘chavanni’ controversy begin?

The dispute began after Akhilesh Yadav referred to alliance politics and said, “We turned a chavanni into a rupee, yet they still left us.” The RLD interpreted the comment as a reference to Jayant Chaudhary and his party's decision to move away from the SP-led alliance.

Jayant Chaudhary responded sharply, saying he had seen such arrogance up close and that such conduct ultimately leads to decline.

SP leader Shivpal Yadav later defended Akhilesh, arguing that the statement had been interpreted incorrectly and that there had been no deliberate intention to insult anyone.

 Political significance of Mayawati’s intervention

Mayawati's decision to openly support Jayant Chaudhary has wider political significance. Western Uttar Pradesh has a substantial Jat electorate, and the RLD has historically maintained a strong political presence in the region. The controversy could therefore have implications for the political strategies of the SP, RLD, BSP and BJP ahead of the 2027 election.

With Uttar Pradesh's political alliances continuing to evolve, the “chavanni” dispute has now become a wider confrontation involving three opposition parties. Whether the issue remains limited to statements or becomes a larger electoral issue will become clearer as the 2027 election campaign gathers pace.