LUCKNOW: Will Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister- designate Akhilesh Yadav, be able to keep the tainted and criminal elements away from his government as he had done in the party and the selection of candidates?
Akhilesh will be curiously followed on this front as this time the state Assembly has 189 MLAs with criminal records and the ruling Samajwadi Party has the highest 111, as compared to his rival political parties.
During the selection of candidates for the Assembly elections, Akhilesh had put his foot down to ensure that hardcore criminals like D P Yadav did not get party ticket to contest in the polls. It was Akhilesh’s attempt to rid the party’s image of being seen as a sanctuary of the goons.
During the first four days after the results were declared on March 6, Samajwadi Party workers went berserk in many places, and in the name of celebration allegedly killed their rivals and assaulted others. The Chief Minister-designate, concerned over the unabated incident, not only appealed his workers to mend their ways but also called DGP Atul at his residence two days ago and asked him to take strict action against the trouble makers.
So far Akhilesh has shown simplicity and a people-friendly approach. On his instructions, the Municipal Corporation has also removed banners and hoardings of party workers greeting him as the new Chief Minister. Now, he faces a challenge to keep his ministry clean and without any controversial face.