Mulayam Singh pulls up Akhilesh govt

Samajwadi Party supremo cautions his son not to fall in the trap of sycophants

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was on Tuesday at the receiving end of his father and ruling Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav during a public function here.

Not only, Yadav senior openly expressed displeasure over the functioning of the state government, which was sullying the party’s image, he cautioned Akhilesh against sycophants surrounding him.

“Do not giggle at sycophancy,” Mulayam told a bemused Akhilesh, who tried to put up a brave face in his signature smile.

He claimed the state government had miserably failed to bring out the failures of the previous Mayawati regime.

Noting that party was bigger than the government, Mulayam warned ministers, party leaders and officials to mend ways before he would start taking action against them.

“I have full information about your activities, although I am mum at present,”  said the former defence minister who was at his combative best.

Without taking names, he said some ministers and leaders were not serious in their preparedness for the forthcoming Lok Sabha election and were not working towards realisation of the party’s national ambitions.

Training guns on officials, the SP patriarch sought to know why they were sitting over files and delaying processes and approvals.

“We (public representatives) are the servants and not masters of people,” he underlined.

He even asked party colleague and cabinet minister Mohd Azam Khan to get to task.