Lucknow:
The new chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav, kept his cool as Opposition members of the Assembly broke all protocol to protest against his party. Members of Mayawati's party, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), climbed on tables and rushed to the well of the House, carrying placards that slammed Mr Yadav for the return of "goonda-giri" or hooliganism. 38-year-old Mr Yadav was seen smiling.
The protests interrupted the address by Governor BL Joshi, customary for the first session of the Assembly every year. Amid the commotion, Governor Joshi read the starting and conclusive part of his address and left the House.
Mr Yadav proved to be a lightning rod of change during the state elections earlier this year, delivering a massive victory which forced Mayawati into an embarrassing retreat. She has left the UP Assembly to serve as a member of the Rajya Sabha.
But the young Mr Yadav has to figure out how to over-write a record of violence among his party workers. He has said on different occasions that he will not tolerate any hooligans or goondas within his cadres.
Last year, when the Governor tried to deliver his address, it was Mr Yadav's party that had provided shocking examples of misbehaviour, hurling paper planes at the Governor.
At a time when the Samajwadi Party and the Congress have displayed a closer affinity, Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh has stuck a note of dischord. "The Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party are two sides of the same coin. Corruption in its extreme and they can't control violence. We had requested the public to give a chance to the Congress party so that we could keep a check on all these things. But if the public of UP wants it this way, then what else can be done," he said.
At a recent dinner of all members of the UPA, Samajwadi chief Mulayam Singh Yadav was given VVIP status - he was seated at Sonia Gandhi's table and shared the stage with UPA members, even though he provides external support and is not a partner in the coalition. In UP, however, ahead of the state elections in March, the Congress had refused to consider an alliance with Mr Yadav's party and Rahul Gandhi had attacked the Samajwadi Party at public rallies.