Netaji gave me chance to work for state: Akhilesh

MAKING AN appearance at a government function and speak- ing to reporters after major de- velopments within the Samajwadi Party over one week, Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav Wednesday said it was his father Mulayam Singh Yadav who gave him the opportunity to work for the state.

Speaking to reporters after inaugurating the UP NRI Diwas in Lucknow, he said, “Netaji ne mujhe mauka diya... Unhi ke aashirwad se hum logon ne itna kaam kiya (Netaji gave me the opportunity...it was owing to his blessings that we did so much.”

Earlier, speaking at the inauguration ceremony, he said the free laptops distributed among students by him bear his and Mulayam’s photographs and these cannot be removed even if someone wants to do so. “Laptop mein Neta ji ki aur humari tasveer dikhayi deti hai... koi hatana chahe to bhi nahi hata sakta,” said Akhilesh, adding that he would not speak further as the elections have been declared.

Indirectly referring to the ongoing feud within SP, he said: “Is saal to aisa naya saal guzra ki hum hi jante hain (Only I know how the new year has been ushured in).”

He added that he has done his best for the state’s development and now it is for the people to decide.

Referring to his experience in running the government and dealing with the state machinery, Akhilesh thanked officials for getting work completed in time. If officials have understood him, he too has learnt lessons on how to get things done, he said.

Akhilesh claimed that this is first election where some people have already made up their mind on who would form the next government. He said that several leaders are touring the state.

“Prime Minister came and we thought that he would give us something. But what did we get... where are his achhey din... But, now there would be scrutiny,” he said. He added that while one has distributed laptops, the other has only talked about Digital India and it is now up to the people to decide.

He said that Uttar Pradesh is a large state and there is still scope to do a lot of work.

Later in the day, Akhilesh told reporters, “We are happy that the election has been announced in seven phases. People here want only those to come to power who can take the state forward”.

A year after holding the first such NRI Diwas in Agra, the UP government is organising a three-day NRI Diwas in Lucknow. The CM gave away ‘Uttar Pradesh Pravasi Bhartiya Ratan Awards’ to 13 NRIS, who have excelled in different fields abroad.