The Samajwadi Party (SP) appointed veteran leader Mata Prasad Pandey as the Leader of the Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, succeeding Akhilesh Yadav, who resigned as MLA after being elected to the Lok Sabha. This decision was made during a party meeting with MLAs in Lucknow and comes amid rising political momentum for the SP, which emerged as the largest party in the recent elections, winning 37 seats. MLA Atul Pradhan lauded the party's performance, indicating a strong mandate for an impending SP government under Yadav's leadership. Pandey, a seasoned politician with a history of serving as Speaker of the Assembly, has been a member of the legislature for seven terms. The SP's vote share in the elections was recorded at 33.59%, while the BJP's representation declined significantly to 33 seats.