Lucknow:
There is early trouble in Akhilesh Yadav's paradise. Senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, who is the number two in the Uttar Pradesh government, is miffed with the young Chief Minister's decision to take away an important district, Meerut, from his charge. He has written to the Chief Minister offering to give up other important districts in his charge too, though he denies that he has also offered to resign.
All of Mr Yadav's ministers have additional charge of overseeing the development of UP's many districts. Mr Khan held charge of Ghaziabad, Muzzafarnagar and Meerut till Tuesday, when Meerut was taken away. This after another minister Shahid Manzoor, who is an MLA from Meerut and known to be anti-Azam Khan, complained to the Chief Minister that he was not consulted by Mr Khan when the latter took decisions for the development of the district.
Mr Khan was given the charge of Pilibhit instead and he is not amused. He admits he has written a letter to the Chief Minister, but said he had not offered to quit as minister.
"How can I say something which I have not done...I am not here to weaken the government. In fact, those leaking such serious communication to the media are trying to weaken the government which has been formed after the misrule of the previous government," PTI quoted him as saying in Delhi. Mr Khan has demanded an investigation into how a confidential letter to the CM was leaked to the media.
In the letter Mr Khan has said, "If I am not capable of being the minister in-charge for Meerut, then Ghaziabad and Muzzafarnagar are important districts as well. You can remove me from the post of minister in-charge for these districts as well."
The 39-year-old Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh says all is well. He sought to downplay the issue today, saying "No one is upset. The media is unnecessarily hyping the issue."
Mr Khan is not just the senior-most minister in the Akhilesh Yadav government. He is a founding member of the SP and for many years now has been the powerful Muslim face of a party that banks heavily on the substantial Muslim vote in UP. In 2009, Mr Khan was expelled from the party for a brief spell, but was soon back and won his Rampur seat by a huge margin this year. His return to the party was challenged by people like Mr Manzoor.
Mr Khan is one of those within the party who were reportedly not thrilled at Akhilesh Yadav, and not Mulayam Singh Yadav, becoming UP Chief Minister after the party's spectacular win in the assembly elections early this year.
After the elections, Mr Yadav senior is said to have worked hard to bring Mr Khan and some other senior leaders around to supporting his son for CM; eventually, Mulayam Singh Yadav had made Azam Khan propose Akhilesh's name at the meeting of SP MLAs called to elect their leader.
(with PTI inputs)
All of Mr Yadav's ministers have additional charge of overseeing the development of UP's many districts. Mr Khan held charge of Ghaziabad, Muzzafarnagar and Meerut till Tuesday, when Meerut was taken away. This after another minister Shahid Manzoor, who is an MLA from Meerut and known to be anti-Azam Khan, complained to the Chief Minister that he was not consulted by Mr Khan when the latter took decisions for the development of the district.
Mr Khan was given the charge of Pilibhit instead and he is not amused. He admits he has written a letter to the Chief Minister, but said he had not offered to quit as minister.
"How can I say something which I have not done...I am not here to weaken the government. In fact, those leaking such serious communication to the media are trying to weaken the government which has been formed after the misrule of the previous government," PTI quoted him as saying in Delhi. Mr Khan has demanded an investigation into how a confidential letter to the CM was leaked to the media.
In the letter Mr Khan has said, "If I am not capable of being the minister in-charge for Meerut, then Ghaziabad and Muzzafarnagar are important districts as well. You can remove me from the post of minister in-charge for these districts as well."
The 39-year-old Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh says all is well. He sought to downplay the issue today, saying "No one is upset. The media is unnecessarily hyping the issue."
Mr Khan is not just the senior-most minister in the Akhilesh Yadav government. He is a founding member of the SP and for many years now has been the powerful Muslim face of a party that banks heavily on the substantial Muslim vote in UP. In 2009, Mr Khan was expelled from the party for a brief spell, but was soon back and won his Rampur seat by a huge margin this year. His return to the party was challenged by people like Mr Manzoor.
Mr Khan is one of those within the party who were reportedly not thrilled at Akhilesh Yadav, and not Mulayam Singh Yadav, becoming UP Chief Minister after the party's spectacular win in the assembly elections early this year.
After the elections, Mr Yadav senior is said to have worked hard to bring Mr Khan and some other senior leaders around to supporting his son for CM; eventually, Mulayam Singh Yadav had made Azam Khan propose Akhilesh's name at the meeting of SP MLAs called to elect their leader.
(with PTI inputs)
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