Five Chief Ministers of UP

 Vol. 6 | issue 7 | August 2012

Bric-a-brac

 

Five Chief Ministers of UP
mulayam, akhilesh & uncles…

 

THERE is no doubt that Mulayam Singh Yadav is the de-facto Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, but it may surprise many to learn that actually there are other four Chief Ministers in the State. As a result, despite sitting in the ruling chair, Mulayam’s sweet-tongued son, Akhilesh Yadav, is caught in a piquant situation, not knowing how to react to the power games being played by the four other prominent party leaders. While his uncle Shiv Pal Singh Yadav, the State PWD Minister, is a maverick, he is also a good manager, solely responsible for all ‘business’ emanating from the PWD mafia in the State. On the other part, Mohammad Azam Khan, Minister for Urban Development, has his own persona and style of work, and keeps on ordering officers, caring little for others in the Government. Similarly, Ram Gopal Yadav while being the face of the Samajvadi Party in Delhi, actually runs his own fiefdom in UP, having built up his own coterie of officials, who operate as he desires and who he shields from any adverse action. While the de-jure Chief Minister is Akhilesh Yadav, he is reportedly so terrified of not only his father but all his uncles that he was unable to direct officials to select the ‘correct’ photograph of the current chief minister to adorn State offices. The picture finally selected, shows Akhilesh calling upon Manmohan Singh, trying to show his presence and authority in the Centre and State Governments.