Denying the existence of more than one power centre in the state, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said that he was the decision maker as he heads the government.
Talking to a select group of reporters, Yadav said many of the government functionaries including his uncle and senior minister Shiv Pal Singh Yadav and Mohammed Azam Khan had been contemporaries of his father and Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav.
‘The element of respect which I always pay to seniors should not be construed as my weakness or lack of authority. But it has been my strength,’ he said.
Yadav, who has acquired a reputation of being the most-accessible CM, also sought to make it clear that his soft demeanor and easy accessibility should not be portrayed as weakness.
‘Contrary to my predecessors who were inaccessible, I try to meet as many people as I represent the popularly elected government in the state of 21 crore people,’ he said. He also insisted that he would always maintain his sanskar in showing respect to seniors and said that he would not abandon his values out of fear of criticism.
Yadav said the multiple centres of power issue was a malicious campaign launched by his detractors which was ‘baseless’ and ‘far from being true.’
‘I always take the decision but in consultations with the seniors,’ he asserted.
In fact, ever since the SP government-led by Akhilesh Yadav came to power on 15 March, reports were being circulated that the CM was not enjoying a free hand in the presence of party seniors like Mulayam Singh Yadav, Ram Gopal Yadav, Shiv Pal Singh Yadav and Mohammed Azam Khan.
Yadav said he was amazed at the fact that several of his new initiatives ranging from infrastructure development to industrialisation were not discussed in the same vein.
‘May be my young age comes in way of thinking process as far as governance of the most populous state is concerned,’ he said.
How many governments have managed to fulfil 90 per cent of its election promises in less than six months which included complicated issues like distribution of unemployment allowance. Cent per cent success rate will be achieved in coming months in this regard,’ said Yadav. Yadav said it was pertinent to mention that all the policies of his government were meant for the poor and deprived section of the society, an aspect conveniently ignored by the previous government.
He denied that there had been a deterioration in the law and order after his government took charge of the state. ‘This is a wrong perception being propagated by opposition parties and those who are surprised by the pro-people attitude of his government,’ he countered.
He expressed concern over the recent communal incidents in the state. ‘I have personally spoken to influential persons including clerics and prominent citizens in these places and asked them to help maintain peace,’ he said. ‘it is also unfounded to suggest that my government has been soft on a particular community.’