Even 24 hours after the district chief medical officer of Gonda was allegedly abducted and kept in confinement by a minister of the Samajwadi Party government, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav continued to remain silent on the issue.Even top officials of his government were tightlipped on the issue, though many believe that action against the minister would send a strong message about the intentions of the SP government.
Top Samajwadi Party leaders Shivpal Singh Yadav and Mohammad Azam Khan are among those likely to take oath along with Akhilesh Yadav when he is sworn in as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh on March 15.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday challenged Prime Minister Narerndra Modi's claim about the crime situation in Uttar Pradesh, asking him to check data of the home department and other central agencies.
In a surprising turn of events, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday pulled up his son's government in Uttar Pradesh, saying that the Akhilesh Yadav government only spoke of 'foundation laying' and not inauguration of schemes.
With this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also sent a strong message to ally, Janata Dal-United President and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, that their partnership remains intact and that they will be formidable partners at the hustings.
Akhilesh said that the defeat of the Dalit candidate would cement his party's relations with Mayawati-led BSP.
Three MLAs of Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party, including Mahendra Singh who was arrested from a dance bar in Goa, were suspended from party membership for their alleged involvement in anti-party activites.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday assured the people of her parliamentary segment that she would take up their problems regarding poor supply of power and drinking water with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.
Outside CM's residence, high drama was witnessed with youth supporters of Akhilesh assembling in large numbers to vent their fury.
'Akhilesh did politics like Rabi and Kharif crop which come once a year. Politics is not seasonal, you have to harvest your field all through the year and only then you get a good crop' Political analyst lists 12 reasons why Akhilesh Yadav lost the UP elections.
Asked about BJP's Gorakhpur (Urban) MLA Aggarwal, the Samajwadi Party chief told reporters in Lucknow, "If you (reporters) can establish contact with him and speak to him, the ticket will be announced and he will get the ticket."
Yadav asked the centre to send tankers in large numbers to the parched Bundelkhand region for supply of water from dams and canals there.
Seeking to cash in on the Ramzan sentiment, a senior Congress leader has sought to link the increasing power crisis in Uttar Pradesh to the plight of Muslims during the fasting month.
In the backdrop of controversial comments made by a state deputy inspector general of police in an elopement case, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said that if senior officers sitting on higher posts do not understand the gravity of their posts, then action would be taken against them. "If this is the same statement, which is being aired on the channels, then it is a very wrong statement," Akhilesh told reporters.
Nirahua, a Bhojpuri star and the BJP's candidate, is drawing huge crowds in his road shows and meetings after he entered the poll fray against Yadav, but voters with caste and local equations appear favourable for the senior Yadav.
Special prayers are offered twice every day, followed by morning and evening prayers, in the temple before the chief minister's idol.
Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow
While thousands of people continue to stage day-long protests on the streets of Lucknow against the gang-rape of a 23-year-old in New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday sent Rs 5 lakh to the victim's family.
"The government would deal strictly with all those who have tried to create communal chasm and harm the atmosphere of Muzaffarnagar and Uttar Pradesh," Yadav told reporters after the state cabinet meeting in Lucknow.
Samajwadi party may gently want to ease Akhilesh into the role of the CM, rather than rock the boat so soon after such an impressive victory, says Neerja Chowdhury
Kumar also asserted that his efforts should reap benefits for the younger generation, "for people like (his deputy) Tejashwi Yadav".
The Bihar CM and Rahul, through their emissaries, have been in touch to shape an alliance with the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP faction as its head.
A controversy erupted on Monday over reported moves by the Uttar Pradesh government to withdraw cases against Muslim leaders in connection with Muzaffarnagar riots even as Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said only some information has been sought and this did not mean cases were being dropped.
Under attack from opposition parties and minority leaders over violence in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday visited the riot-hit district where he was greeted with black flags and slogan shouting from villagers.
Udayveer Singh, a first time Member of Legislative Council, wrote a 'private letter' to Mulayam Singh Yadav but it has now found its way into the media.
On chances of taking uncle Shivpal Yadav's Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia along in the polls, he said, "I dont have any problem in this. He and his men will be given due honour".
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday took a dig at Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP leader Mayawati, saying they had 'fear' of visiting Noida in Gautam Buddh Nagar during their terms at the helm of the state.
The TMC also announced it would hold talks with other regional parties in their bid to take on the BJP in the crucial 2024 elections but at the same time denied that it was planning a third front, separate from the Congress-led front.
Before pedalling down the streets of the state capital, Yadav told mediapersons at the party headquarters that the BJP government has "failed" in Covid management.
Realising that his first appeal to his cabinet colleagues for voluntary declaration of their assets had fallen on deaf ears, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has now issued a code of conduct for all his ministers. He has urged them not to accept any gift worth more than Rs 5,000.
The Uttar Pradesh chief minister vows to curb corruption and bring in transparency in governance.
An all out war has broken out after SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav replaced son Akhilesh with his brother Shivpal as the party's state unit chief.
The meeting between the two leaders, which was also attended by Bihar's deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav, was described as 'positive'.
Apparently hinting at Amar Singh, UP CM says 'we will not let outsiders drive a wedge between us'.
UP BJP spokesperson Manoj Mishra said state BJP vice-president J P S Rathore, in a complaint letter sent to the Chief Election Commissioner, has accused Akhilesh of violating the model code of conduct.
The stalemate over the appointment continues as UP CM Akhilesh Yadav recommends same name to Ram Naik for the fourth time in 20 days.
Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of intentionally raking up communal issues ahead of Lok Sabha elections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday asked the people not to fall in its "trap".
Amid the raging feud in Mulayam Singh Yadav's family, Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav on Thursday said the leadership had committed a "mistake" by removing Akhilesh Yadav as party's UP president and that "differences" had arisen due to some "misunderstanding".
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Friday lashed out at the opposition parties for extending support to criminals after gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahemd's son Asad, and another accused, Ghulam, were killed in an encounter by the Special Task Force (STF).
Glimpses from all the action from the campaign trail.
