Before taking off to the US on Wednesday morning for aggressive marketing of his successful management of the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, the world’s biggest religious congregation, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav launched a counter-campaign in the state to quell the mounting criticism of his Samajwadi Party Government.
A day earlier, the SP had celebrated its ‘Uplabdhi Diwas’ (day of achievement) across the state and Akhilesh too attended the function in Auraiya, adjacent to his home district Etawah. In his address, the UP Chief Minister exhorted his workers to fan out in the villages, towns, districts and cities to propagate his government’s achievements in the last one year and also tell the people that his government had fulfilled all pre-poll promises. He said the Opposition had unleashed a sinister campaign against his government, while the fact was that his was the only government in the state to fulfil all its promises, including those on unemployment allowance, free electricity to farmers, loan waivers and laptops. He exhorted the SP workers to distribute booklets and pamphlets detailing achievements to the people and hold meetings in every nook and corner to silence the critics.
The ‘Uplabdhi Diwas’ is seen as a move to deflect the growing criticism of his government in view of the Lok Sabha elections, with the ministers, party leaders actively involved in the meets across the state. Akhilesh is set to market his achievements abroad as well, when he goes to Harvard University to make a presentation on the successful conduct of the 55-day-long Mela.