As time changes, clock too turns saffron

Time has changed and the clock installed in the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha reflected this on Monday — the rim of the clock is now saffron.

It is common knowledge that UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who wears saffron robes, prefers saffron in his surroundings too. The towels kept on his chairs are saffron and even the upholstery in his home and office are taking on the shades of saffron.

Though none of the Vidhan Sabha officials were willing to comment on the orange clock, one official said, “We simply got the rim changed and painted it saffron. We hope the ruling party likes it.”

Saffron was also the colour that most members wore to the House. The women MLAs in the BJP came in orange and yellow saris while the men wore kurtas in various hues of saffron and yellow.

However, most members seemed uneasy in the new environment and were not even well acquainted with each other. The overbearing presence of saffron — the BJP has 325 members in the House of 403 — did not deter the Samajwadi members who wore red caps.

Since the SP has a majority in the Vidhan Parishad, it added to its numbers during the Governor’s address to the joint session of the state legislature.

The fissures in the party were also clearly visible as senior SP MLA Shivpal Yadav was largely ignored by the other party MLAs and even Akhilesh Yadav did not interact with other members of his party.

The mood in the BSP was subdued and the recent mud-slinging between party chief Mayawati and expelled leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui made the party MLAs cagey and unwilling to talk to the media.

The Congress appeared a divided House. The newly elected leader of the Congress, Ajay Kumar Lallu, was protesting alone with a banner in his hands while the remaining six members remained on their seat. The two women MLAs, Aradhana Misra and Aditi Singh, later, came forward but maintained a distance from their leader.