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Lucknow:
It may be a little too early to call it the end of the political
honeymoon for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. But his
choices and decisions since taking charge of India's most populous
state have left tongues wagging on how much is the Yadav junior a
man of his own mind.
For one who gave millions hope of fair governance and spruced up
law and order, the first jolt came when he not only inducted
Bhadri scion Raghuraj Pratap Singh aka Raja Bhaiyya into his
cabinet but inducted three others facing serious criminal cases in
his government.
These include Durga Prasad Yadav (history sheeter), Parasnath
Yadav (named in murder cases) and Balram Yadav (linked to Ayurveda
scam during the last Mulayam Singh Yadav regime). Akhilesh Yadav
defended them by saying all the cases had political overtones, but
the taint is not easy to wash away.
While many admit that all developments happening in the corridors
of power - be it allotment of portfolios and posting of IAS and
IPS officeres - have the signature of SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav,
close aides of the chief minister told IANS that they found
nothing wrong in interjections by seniors as "day to day matters
were left to Akhilesh Bhaiyya".
Also, Akhilesh Yadav has not only retained the controversial and
all powerful IAS Anita Singh as his secretary (also his father's
in the last tenure) but the official has become the sole window to
the 38-year-old chief minister. All files at the 'pancham tal'
(fifth floor) would now go to the chief minister via Anita Singh.
The SP supremo has already made it clear that he was going to
watch the activities of the state government headed by his son.
"If need be I will intervene if I find anyone, the ministers,
officials or legislators going astray," Mulayam Singh told IANS.
Mulayam Singh Yadav also met legislators and ministers, asking
them to be "cautious of their public conduct".
Contrary to expectations, Yadav Junior has retained a whopping 50
portfolios - Home, Finance, Power, Vigilance, Estate, Forests,
Civil Aviation, Electronics-IT, Protocol and Higher education, for
himself - while attaching five ministers to himself.
By doing so, he seems to have bettered his predecessor Mayawati
who held 47 portfolios.
Old timers feel this was harakiri for the young chief minister as
he already has "bigger responsibilities" on his shoulder. With
presidentship of the state SP still with him, a senior SP leader
warned that the going might get tough sooner than later for
Akhilesh Yadav.
Allocation of other departments like PWD and Irrigation to his
uncle Shiv Pal Singh Yadav and Prison and Food and Civil Supplies
to independent legislator Raghuraj Pratap Singh have done little
good to Akhilesh Yadav's image.
This is because both these men in the previous tenure of Mulayam
Singh had their share of controversies.
(Mohit Dubey can be contacted at mohit.d@ians.in)
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