Party Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.(PTI)
Pulling up the Akhilesh Yadav-led government for the "slow place" of work on the development front in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today said that he was only hearing about "foundation-laying" of projects, and not the "inauguration" of such schemes.
"There are a lot of schemes, but the pace of work is very slow. I am hearing about the launch (foundation-laying) of schemes and not about their inauguration. I am not getting a chance to inaugurate schemes," Mr Yadav said.
He was addressing a programme on the occasion of the foundation-laying ceremony of the 302-km Lucknow-Agra Expressway at Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's 5 Kalidas Marg residence, in his presence.
"When I was there (as CM), I did not lay foundation but (I used to) inaugurate schemes. Whenever, I used to lay foundation, I used to fix a date of inauguration there only," he said.
Asking party ministers to "deliver", Mulayam said, "You all should know that party organisation is above the government. You can remain ministers, only when if the organisation wants to see you there. The ministers and officers should expalian why the projects are not getting
completed".
"I have become a national president in the national executive...If you want to remove me you have to call (a meeting) again. And if I am here, you will have to perform," he said in a lighter vein.
Asking ministers to adopt villages and construct toilets in every village, Mulayam said, "people are smart, and they want to see what is being done for them and not what will be in store for them".
On the occasion, Mulayam asked representatives of construction companies to tell him when they would complete their projects; after getting an assurance from them that it would be "completed in 24 months", he gave them a deadline to finish it within 22 months.
Mulayam said that he does not visit 5 Kalidas Marg, which is the official residence of the Chief Minister, as people will start saying that "I am running the government".
"I believe in inauguration and not foundation-laying," he said.
Pointing at former Chief Secretary Javed Usmani, who was recently appointed the Chief Information Commissioner, Mr Yadav said that the former CS is there and his services should also be availed for the same.
Reacting to Mr Yadav's comment, Akhilesh said, "Netaji is the SP president, he can give directions and the government will work on it, what is so wrong in that?"