Lucknow:
Akhilesh Yadav, the 39-year-old chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, had set himself a six-month performance deadline; half way there, his wife Dimple became an MP and scored her husband an 8 on 10 for governance. But five months into ruling India's most populous state, if the Yadav family is fair, that rating is set to come down.
Watched for every step he has taken, the UP chief minister was cheered as he launched the flagship schemes he had promised - like free laptops and tablets and an unemployment allowance. And he began a janta darshan to give the common man access to the elected leader.
Then, it started unravelling some. Rampant crime has continued unchecked in his state, there have been decisions that have seemed not thought through and some unmitigated PR disasters. Is UP's honeymoon with its dashing young CM waning?
Here are the top 10 pointers:
The weekly janata darshan that began with a bang was soon discontinued because of the demands of legislative business during the assembly session. The session got over, but the darshan is yet to begin again.
The young CM's enthusiastic plan to bridge the disparity of power distribution between urban and rural Uttar Pradesh showed he was green behind the ears. It entailed shutting down malls and restaurants during peak hours; trade unions were up in arms. The decision was withdrawn in less than 24 hours. (Read: Relax, malls and shops in UP won't shut early after all)
Akhilesh Yadav caused a storm when he announced in the UP Assembly that the state's MLAs would be allowed to use up to 20 lakh rupees from their constituency development fund to buy a luxury car. There was outrage - public and political. Even his own party defended him with some difficulty. An injured Akhilesh said he was withdrawing his offer because it had been misinterpreted. (Read: Akhilesh Yadav's U-turn on decision on cars for MLAs)
As he took over, Akhilesh had promised UP that he would not bother with political one-upmanship and just focus on the state's development. His decision to do one better than his predecessor Mayawati, and change the names of eight districts that she had renamed, is being seen as very unnecessary. (Read: Why Mayawati says history will never forgive Akhilesh Yadav)
All this while - in fact from the day his Samajwadi Party stormed to power in UP - there have been regular incidents of violence and rowdiness in the state and Mr Yadav, who had promised the state freedom from "goondaraj", is hard-pressed to explain why his administration is unable to stop these. (Read: Violence in UP after SP win: A timeline)
The SP was voted to power on the promise that the party, largely associated with hooliganism, had changed its spots with the suave Akhilesh in charge. There is a growing perception now that there is little he has done to act against criminal elements within his party. At a recent lunch that the CM hosted for then presidential candidate and now President Pranab Miukherjee, jailed MLAs Mukhtar Ansari and Vijay Mishra stretched the liberty they were given to attend Assembly and drove up in ambulances to attend the party. At the CMs residence. (Read: Jailed MLAs at Akhilesh Yadav's lunch for Pranab Mukherjee)
Then there are the awkward pauses. Just this week, the UP chief minister seemed to take a stance contrary to that of his father's when he said he favoured foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail, if it came with safeguards for farmers. His father, Mulayam Singh Yadav has been at the forefront of political protests against the move to allow FDI in multi-brand retail and had written to the prime minister just two days before on this. Uncle Ram Gopal Yadav had to step in to make clarifications. (Read: Did Akhilesh contradict Mulayam on FDI in multi-brand retail?)
The Samajwadi Party's decision to duck the political test by not deciding to contest municipal polls, only months after they won a big majority in the assembly elections is being seen as a sign of insecurity already. (Read: Akhilesh Yadav ducks test by skipping municipal polls)
Despite Akhilesh being chief minister, there is little doubt that the Yadav patriarch, Mulayam Singh, is still very much in control of the party; it is believed he is even driving the government.
Leaders like Azam Khan, the party's old guard, continue to assert themselves. Azam Khan is a seasoned politician who was opposed to Akhilesh becoming CM. He is the number 2 in the UP government, a very powerful man. His sulk this week and threat to quit for what some would say is an insignificant dilution in responsibility, and the letter becoming public, has left the first-time CM's political inexperience exposed again. (Read: Akhilesh Yadav upsets senior minister Azam Khan)
Post a comment