Samajwadi Party- Akhilesh Yadav

Law and order will be the top priority of the new SP government in Uttar Pradesh,  Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday said, maintaining that no discrimination will be made on the basis of caste and creed. Yes, Akhilesh Yadav has been elected as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh at the Samajwadi Party Legislature Board Meeting in Lucknow on Saturday. He also stressed that soon honest officers would be appointed and action will be taken against those who did not perform their duties. The 38-year-old son of party Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav would be the youngest chief minister of the state. To a question related to his ministry, Akhilesh said, “We will let you know whatever decision is taken. Give me some time”. Akhilesh later met Governor BL Joshi with party leaders Mohammad Azam Khan and Shivpal Singh Yadav and informed him about the decision of the party and the date for oath taking ceremony. He would be sworn-in on March 15 by the Governor.

Akhilesh Yadav’s name was proposed in meeting of newly-elected legislators and MPs by senior SP leader Mohammad Azam Khan, according to sources of the PTI. With his father said to be not in the best of health, Akhilesh took on the role of the party’s chief campaigner and gave it a new dynamism talking of development and eschewing personal attacks against rivals. “It’s not make or break for Rahul and always the credit for victory will be ascribed to him and failure will find a ready loyal scapegoat. The family charisma shall be propped up with some flimsy excuse,” said Pushpesh Pant on Zee News, echoing conventional wisdom on the UP elections. Ever since the election results were out, there has been speculation as to who would be the chief minister. A number of newly-elected MLAs want Akhilesh as the new CM, crediting him with the party’s change of fortunes with his spirited campaign before and during the elections. The SP got a majority in the 403-member Assembly by winning 224 seats.