Akhilesh Yadav in soup over Lokayukta issue

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav found himself in a soup on Friday over the appointment of Justice Virendra Singh as the state's Lokayukta.

This happened after Swamy Prasad Maurya, Leader of Opposition in the assembly, who was member of the selection panel, wrote to Governor Ram Naik denying that Justice Singh's name was ratified by the panel comprising him, Akhilesh Yadav and Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court D.Y. Chandrachud.

Maurya, in his letter to the governor, has categorically stated that Justice Singh's name was not okayed by the panel.

Maurya's letter added a new twist to the ongoing controversy surrounding the appointment of the new ombudsman in the state as the Supreme Court, after initially naming Justice Singh, has stayed his swearing-in after a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed before it.

The chief justice of the Allahabad High Court had earlier written to the governor, making the same point.

Naik has taken a serious note of the new angle and has sent copies of the letter to Justice Chandrachud, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and chief secretary Alok Ranjan for their views on the matter.

Bharatiya Janata Party's state unit spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak told IANS that it was now clear that the chief minister has not only lied to the governor but had also misled the apex court.

"While the chief minister and the government are clearly on the wrong side, it is also questionable that why Maurya did not speak till now and only bared the truth after being nudged by BSP supremo Mayawati," the BJP leader said.

Maurya belongs to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).