Akhilesh assumes charge, shunts out Mayawati loyalists

Swinging into action within an hour of taking over as Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav Thursday undertook a major shake-up of the bureaucracy, showing the door to officials who ruled the roost in the Mayawati government and bringing in old Samajwadi Party (SP) faithful.

He reshuffled all officials on the ‘pancham tal’, the fifth floor of the chief minister’s office, the seat of power in Uttar Pradesh.

All officials of the previous regime were put into waiting list. A host of new faces, including many loyalists to his father Mulayam Singh Yadav, were brought in. Among the new entrants were Alok Kumar, Anita Singh and Pandhari Yadav, who have been made secretaries to the new chief minister.

In his first interaction with the media at his official 5, Kalidas Marg residence, Akhilesh Yadav said his cabinet would meet Thursday evening to take “major decisions”.

Asked on the promise made in the SP manifesto that a special commission would be instituted to look into complaints and charges of corruption, he said his actions would start speaking very soon.

He also said the government would make its promise to farmers and the unemployed youth its first and foremost priority.

The large queues outside the employment exchanges had made it obvious that a large segment of the youth in the state was jobless, he added.

Replying to a pointed question on how would the state government generate funds for the largesse it has announced in form of free power supply, free laptops and tablets, Akhilesh Yadav snapped back by saying that if funds were available in the past for stones and statues, why could they not be generated for developmental projects.

Hinting that the law and order would also be a major priority area of the SP government, Akhilesh Yadav told IANS: “Change will be seen by all in two days.”

Asked about rumours that the SP was going to join the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, he deflected the question to say his focus was on the state and its development. All questions pertaining to party’s stand on national politics should be directed to his father Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Earlier, the 38-year-old was sworn in as the 33rd chief minister of India’s most populous state at the sprawling La Martiniere College ground. Nineteen cabinet and 28 state ministers were also sworn in by Governor B.L. Joshi.