The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday announced a public holiday on account of Chhath festival on Tuesday.
A government spokesman said that Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has declared a holiday on Chhath Puja.
A proposal to this effect was prepared by the general administration department last week and had been sent for approval to the chief minister. Yadav cleared the proposal on Monday.
Politically, this is being seen as yet another move by Yadav to consolidate the vote bank in eastern Uttar Pradesh, where the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) fared badly in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
The state government spokesman also informed that in state offices where a five-day week format is followed, government employees and officials will have to work on the coming Saturday, in lieu of Tuesday's (November 17) holiday.
