PRAYAGRAJ, March 1 -- Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday alleged that despite an expenditure of Rs 60,000 crore over the past 10 years, the condition of Prayagraj has not improved significantly. Speaking to media persons during an Iftar gathering hosted by former Union minister Salim Sherwani, Yadav said the funds were allocated for infrastructure development, roads, river cleaning, and health services, but visible improvements remain lacking. "Even after spending Rs 60,000 crore, the Ganga remains polluted, drains are flowing directly into the Yamuna, traffic congestion persists, and health facilities are inadequate," he said. Yadav claimed he personally witnessed sewage flowing into the Yamuna as his aircraft approached the city. He added that residents are already aware of the ground realities. The former chief minister asserted that the Samajwadi Party, along with its PDA alliance, would form the government in 2027. He announced that the party would release separate manifestos for each district, highlighting how funds were spent and what tangible changes occurred. Responding to a question on whether Prayagraj would be renamed Allahabad if the SP returned to power, Yadav remarked, "Prayagraj, Allahabad, Sangam, and Triveni are all part of history. Geography can change, but history cannot. Allahabadi guava is still known as Allahabadi guava; it has not become Prayagraj guava." Commenting on the Allahabad high court's interim stay on the arrest of Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, Yadav said the judiciary deserves appreciation. He also mentioned that justice was delivered to religious leaders and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. He cautioned that the BJP government allegedly files false cases against those who speak against it and appealed to citizens to support those facing injustice. Several SP leaders, including Sandeep Yadav from Lucknow, MLAs Bijma Yadav and Geeta Shastri, MLC Dr Man Singh, and Tehzeeb Ali, were present at the event. Taking a swipe at chief minister Yogi Adityanath over his Japan visit, Yadav criticised the coordination within the state government. "One is heading East and the other West. One is going to Japan and the other to Germany. The deputy CM is undermining the CM- the engines are colliding," he remarked. He further accused the BJP of selectively invoking socialist ideology when convenient. Referring to socialist thinker Jayaprakash Narayan and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Yadav alleged that their images were used symbolically in the past, while institutions associated with them are now being sidelined. Thanking Sherwani for hosting the gathering, Yadav said that embracing each other during Eid and Holi reflects India's cultural ethos. "Participating in each other's celebrations is part of our tradition," he stated. After visiting the party office at Chaufatka, Yadav attended the dinner at Sherwani's residence. The event was also attended by former Congress MLA Anugrah Narayan Singh, city Congress president Fuzail Hashmi, Kishore Varshney, and Harikesh Tripathi, among others....