Akhilesh Yadav’s Government completes one year this weekend. And it has truly been a bumpy ride for the Chief Minister. Just when all was well in the State, the Chief Minister undertook a massive image building campaign. This in view of the coming 2014 lok Sabha elections but he had to face a major embarrassment. In the past, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had constantly hammered son Akhilesh to ensure effective functioning of the SP Government. Akilesh Yadav readily rejigged the administration.
Recently, going by the present Budget Session in the State, the Opposition echoed that virtually on the eve of the 2014 lS polls, SP’s traditional M-Y (Muslim-Yadav) votebank is in a rethinking mode. Undoubtedly this is based on SP’s performance so far. Will the M-Y factor continue to lend its support to the SP in the coming lS pollsIJ This has already started haunting the senior party leaders.
More surprising is the fact that the Government admitted in the Vidhan Sabha that the State was rocked by at least 28 communal riots by the end of December 31. The BSP was quick on the uptake claiming that its tenure remained riot-free. However, the recent series of murders targeting policemen has created a doubt in the minds of the people whether the Akhilesh Yadav Government will be able to deliver the goods.
All efforts by the father-son duo to jack up the prospects of the SP Government were watered down when the ruling SP Government suddenly found itself at the receiving end and that too as its tainted Minister, Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya was forced to resign for his alleged involvement in the killing of a Deputy Superintendent of Police of Pratapgarh.
Probably worst still was the fact that a spate of murders sparked off violence as a result that the Government had to impose curfew in Tanda following the murder of a Hindu leader. The Opposition cornered the SP and rapped it for the poor law and order situation and demanded the arrest of Raja Bhaiya. The BSP immediately sought imposition of President’s Rule as a result of the failure of the law and order in the State.
The ruling party retorted as they made a comparison with the erstwhile Mayawati regime. What more the SP leaders argued that the former Chief Minister Mayawati hardly visited the families of victims of violence or riots. At least, Akhilesh Yadav rushed to sympathise with the kin of the victims in the riots, a point scored by him.
Now, the biggest challenge before the Chief Minister is to improve the law and order situation in the State.
Hoodwinked
Believe it or not senior Congress member incharge of the administration in the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) could hardly imagine that he would be hoodwinked by a hawker. When the Congress leader’s wife drew his attention to the kitchen, which needed immediate attention, he was not prepared for what was in store.
There was no way to cook food as the gas stove would not light. The first reaction was to check the gas stove for problems as it was bought recently — no problem was found there. The repairman said that it was the gas cylinder where the problem lay — it was empty.
The Congressman and his wife were surprised and then disappointed when they found that the hawker had duped them and passed on an empty cylinder. Now, this practice could have surprised any common man, but in this case it was the Congress leader who was at the receiving end. What is more interesting is that the man they duped runs a gas agency in Hardoi. So, the question is whether the Congress leader is aware of such practices especially since he himself has a gas agency.
Would he be more careful next time and weigh before he pays. Partymen smirked: “Perhaps this is for the first time that a senior Congress leader has been duped in his own.”
On a high
The BJP is in an upbeat mood these days. This is mainly as the party High Command is focusing its attention on setting its house order with an eye on the coming lok Sabha elections in 2014. The national party president recently made it clear that he will revamp the party organisation in an effort to make it more effective.
A senior party leader remarked: “We have to gear up for the polls, or else we will remain relegated to No 4.” The recent return of Kalyan Singh to the party fold is bound to have an impact on the party prospects.
Now, it is up to the State party chief to act for it is now or never for the party. The BJP had in the past suffered a setback in the previous elections as the SP and the BSP stole the limelight with each of them exchanging places in ruling the State.