Akhilesh Yadav held public meeting in Ballia in Uttar Pradesh less than a day after PM Modi's visit
Highlights
- UP Chief Minister holds public meeting in Ballia, a day after PM Modi did
- State elections will be held in Uttar Pradesh next year
- SP's Akhilesh Yadav has a tough battle ahead to retain his post
Less than 24 hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a large gathering at Uttar Pradesh's Ballia, another public meeting saw the mock coronation of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.
Mr Yadav sat on a stage and beamed as his party workers climbed up and placed a shiny crown-like turban on his head.
The symbolism may hearten the 42-year-old Chief Minister as he preps for a tough battle to retain his post.
With the state election around 10 months away in Uttar Pradesh, Ballia, one of its least developed towns, had high profile visits by the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister in quick succession, within 24 hours of each other.
PM Modi on Sunday launched a free gas cylinder scheme for the poor in the town challenged by chronic power shortages, hardly any drinking water and crushing poverty.
Akhilesh Yadav said he would provide the money to refill those free cylinders.
"The prime minister also came here. Our poor people will get cylinders, I agree, but to fill those cylinders we will give Samajwadi pension," the chief minister said to applause from the 10,000 strong crowd.
Launching his own set of schemes, from a sports college to a university and a power station, Mr Yadav said: "People can ask us. What have you done in the last four years? It's a good time to ask all this. Because there's a BJP government at the Centre too. Everyone can decide which government has performed better."
Ballia is in eastern Uttar Pradesh, which accounts for over a fourth of seats in the state assembly. In the 2014 national election, the BJP's sterling performance in the eastern region was a big factor in its record win in Uttar Pradesh.
In next year's polls, the BJP faces the ruling Samajwadi Party and former Chief Minister Mayawati's BSP.
Among those who attended Akhilesh's public meeting was Suman Yadav, who had also attended PM Modi's programme on Sunday. "Whether it is Akhilesh or Modi uncle, we expect more work and less talk, " she remarked.