Lucknow, Keeping with its promise of giving fresh impetus to infrastructure in the state, the Akhilesh Yadav-led Uttar Pradesh government has expedited work on the ambitious Agra- Lucknow Greenfield Expressway project and has selected a consultant for the project. The consultant has been entrusted with the task of preparing a concept report on the project that will cut the travelling time between Lucknow and Agra from six hours to three-and-a-half hours. Officials told IANS that the eight-lane eco-friendly expressway is proposed to be constructed on a "minimum distance formula" through Public Private Partnership mode and is envisaged to provide a smooth link from Greater Noida to Lucknow via Agra. The consultant appointed for the expressway, covering a distance of 365 km, has been asked to prepare the "preliminary feasibility reports on economic, geographical, physical and social parameters" of the project. The expressway will also help motorists cover a distance of about 530 km from Greater Noida to Lucknow in five hours instead of current time of nine hours. Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner (IIDC) Anil Kumar Gupta said the government's move ...
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Lucknow, In a significant development, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav is not in favour of bringing the post of CM under the anti-corruption ombudsman -- the Lokayukta. "The Samajwadi Party had made its stand clear on the issue of Lokayukta in its manifesto before the assembly elections. We had promised, if voted to power, the Lokayukta institution will be strengthened to fight corruption. However, we are not in favour of bringing chief minister under Lokayukta," said Yadav, in reply to the media query that a committee headed by UP Lokayukta has recommended bringing the chief minister under the jurisdiction of the ombudsman. However, he added, that he had not gone through the recommendation submitted by the committee. The committee headed by UP Lokayukta Justice (rtd) NK Mehrotra in its report has proposed a complete revamp of the power structure of the institution, setting up a special investigation wing and authority to initiate suo moto action against corrupt public representatives, NGOs and educational institutions among others. The proposals also want every elected public representative from gram pradhan, municipal corporators, MLAs, ministers to the ...
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New Delhi, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Thursday will meet the party leaders from Uttar Pradesh to analyse the disappointing result of the party in the Assembly polls in the crucial north Indian state. Gandhi will meet the leaders in New Delhi in an attempt to "fix things" before the Lok Sabha elections in 2014, media reports said. All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Digvijay Singh, who is currently out of the country, will not be attending the meeting. Newly elected Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assembly will attend the meeting on Thursday. Gandhi, who lead the campaign for Congress in Uttar Pradesh, failed to produce a winning result for the party in the politically critical state in the recent Assembly elections. Gandhi had taken the 'responsibility' behind the dismal show of the party in Uttar Pradesh on himself. Akhilesh Yadav, the 38-year-old Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and son of Mulayam Singh Yadav, scripted a stunning victory of the outfit in Uttar Pradesh elections. ...
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Lucknow, In yet another reshuffle, the Uttar Pradesh government has transferred more than 100 IPS officers including DGs and police chiefs of several districts. Director General, PAC, Dev Raj Nagar has been given additional charge of chairman, police recruitment and promotion board, whereas DG Human Rights B M Saraswat has been shifted to training headquarters, an official spokesman said here today. The transfers were issued late last night. DG, Anti Corruption Organisation. Arun Kumar Gupta has been given additional charge of managing director, police housing corporation. Surbart Tripathi, who was attached to DGP headquarters, has been posted as DG technical services. ADG, training headquarters, A L Banerjee, who was having additional charge of SIT, has been transferred to economic offences wing with additional charge of ACO. ADG police headquarters, Allahabad, Sulkhan Singh has been shifted to PAC Unnao in the same capacity. ADG, vigilance establishment, Vipin Kumar has been transferred to Power Corporation Limited. ADG prison V K Gupta has been shifted to human rights commission. ADG traffic Surya Kumar has been transferred to police headquarters Allahabad, ...
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New Delhi, Javed Usmani could be the next chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh, giving the state its first Muslim chief secretary in a long time. Sources said the senior IAS officer, who was joint secretary in Manmohan Singh's PMO, is likely to be picked to head the huge babudom of UP. Usmani is on a sabbatical in the US after his stint in World Bank ended in late 2010. He has also worked in the PMO under Atal Bihari Vajpayee and I K Gujral. While newly-appointed chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has continued with Anoop Misra who was appointed chief secretary by predecessor Mayawati, he is likely to be shifted out soon. Usmani's joining the top post would mark a seminal moment in the state's history as the only Muslim to adorn the chair after independence was Mahmood Butt, who was chief secretary in 1975-76. While the senior officer qualifies for the post by sheer dint of his record, being the batch topper with a rich experience in administration, his candidature ties with SP's stress on Muslim constituency. The Samajwadis benefitted from the community's return to its fold after deserting it in two consecutive elections. SP too went out of the way to woo the community. Its ...
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New Delhi, Fifteen people were killed and two others seriously injured when the Mathura-Kasganj Express rammed into a jeep at an unmanned railway crossing on Tuesday morning. The accident took place at the unmanned railway crossing near Madu Railway Station at 7:19 am in the district. The jeep was carrying 17 passengers, superintendent of police Chandra Prakash said. While 15 people were killed on the spot, two of the injured have been admitted to a hospital, he said. . Railway sources in Delhi said the mishap took place when the jeep tried to cross the track even as the train was ...
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Lucknow, In a major bureaucratic reshuffle by the new Uttar Pradesh government of Akhilesh Yadav, 30 officials, mostly IAS, were transferred late Sunday. This included district magistrates of 12 districts. The district magistrates of Lucknow, Kanpur, Rampur, Jaunpur, Muzaffarnagar, Noida have been shifted to unimportant postings and replaced by new officials. Mayawati loyalist and chairman of the Noida Authority, Yamuna Expressway and Investment Commissioner Mohinder Singh has been shunted out of his present postings and put in waiting list. The Lucknow DM has been shunted out and made special secretary Handicap Welfare. Kanpur DM has also been shifted out. V.N. Garg, the Industrial Development Commissioner (IDC) has also been shifted out and made Principal Secretary Handicap ...
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New Delhi/Dehradun, Congress Party on Wednesday defended its decision to select Vijay Bahuguna as Uttarakhand Chief Minister instead of senior leader Harish Rawat, saying there is no difference within the party and the matter will be solved after due consultations. Terming the ongoing row over the appointment of Bahuguna as hype created by the media, Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said: "There is no difference within the party of any kind. This is an internal matter of the party. It is not necessary for the MLAs to be present there. It never happens that all the MLAs are present during the swearing-in-ceremony of the chief minister. This is media hype. The matter will be solved after due consultations within the party. "I assure you everything will be normal. Vijay Bahugunaji is the new chief minister of Uttarakhand, he has taken the oath of office. The party is committed to solve the problems the people of the state faced in the last five years," he added. Alvi further said Harish Rawat will surely attend the Parliament session. "There is no rebellion within the party. This is media hype. He (Harish Rawat) will surely come to the Parliament," he said. Meanwhile, ...
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Lucknow, Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati Tuesday filed her nomination for the Rajya Sabha. BSP leader Munqad Ali also filed the nomination along with her. With 80 seats in the 403-member assembly, BSP members can be elected on two seats in the upper house. Elections for 10 Rajya Sabha seats from the state will be held on March 30. ...
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Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister designate Akhilesh Yadav Saturday said all promises made by the Samajwadi Party (SP) will be taken up on priority by his government. Addressing his first press conference after being elected leader of the SP legislature party, Akhilesh Yadav said he was duty bound to fulfill the promises to the people. "The first priority of the government would be to meet the promises made by us in the manifesto," he said, while thanking the people for the overwhelming majority given to his party. Pointing out that his party would not indulge in any vendetta politics, he warned officials not to be partisan and focus on the law and order situation. "I urge officials to work fairly, officials who are honest, dedicated and hard working would be rewarded and encouraged while the non-performers would be eased out," he added. Thanking his uncles Ram Gopal Yadav and Shivpal Yadav for supporting his candidature for the chief minister's post, Akhilesh Yadav said his father and SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav would continue to be in state politics and also play a national role. "Netaji would be here to guide us and it is with his blessings that we ...
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New Delhi, Three-time MP from Kanauj Akhilesh Yadav is the new chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. Akhilesh Yadav has also been elected as the leader of the Legislative Assembly Senior SP member Azam Khan proposed Akhilesh yadav's name as UP chief minister. Akhilesh Yadav's name has been endorsed by majority of the party MLAs. Earlier, the 38-year-old Akhilesh Yadav has reportedly been proposed for UP's chief minister at the legislative board meeting in Lucknow. The suspense over who head the new government in Uttar Pradesh is now. The swearing-in- ceremony is likely to be held on ...
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Dehradun, Governor Margaret Alva says Congress has the required number and she will invite it for government formation when it elects its leader. The Congress on Friday said it would form the government in Uttarakhand with the support of three independents and a regional party member, ending days of uncertainty after a hung verdict in the hill state. Congress chief Yashpal Arya told reporters that he has letters of support from all the three independent members and the lone lawmaker from the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal-Panwar (UKD-P), Pritam Singh Panwar. Dinesh Dhanai, one of the independents, confirmed his support to the Congress. Uncertainty had engulfed government formation in the state following the election results Tuesday, with no party crossing the halfway mark of 35 members in the state assembly. The Congress emerged as the single largest party with 32 members followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with 31. The BJP, which ruled the state in the last five years, had also maintained that it would try to retain power. But with four more legislators backing it, the Congress has 36 members supporting it in the 70-member assembly. The Bahujan Samaj Party ...
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New Delhi, Addressing the media for the first time after her defeat in the UP polls, BSP chief Mayawati on Wednesday said that her government did bring about significant changes in the state. "The Uttar Pradesh was in bad shape when I took over as the CM of the state," Mayawati said. The Congress-led UPA government did not help the UP government, Mayawati said Analyising her defeat in the state polls, Mayawati said that fearing the return of the BJP, Muslims voted in overwhelming numbers for Samajwadi party. Mayawati also blamed Congress party for playing Muslim quota politics in the state. The BSP chief also expressed hope that her party would return to power in next assembly elections. "The people of the state would get fed up with the bad governance of the upcoming SP government and they would vote her back to power," she said. Earlier, Mayawati on Wednesday tendered her resignation to governor B L Joshi after facing a rout in the assembly elections. Mayawati's BSP faced a rout in the assembly elections managing to win only 80 seats. Her party had won 206 seats in the 2007 assembly elections. ...
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Lucknow, The Samajwadi Party, which got an absolute majority in Uttar Pradesh, would choose its next chief minister after Holi, amid demands from the party's parliamentary party members that Akhilesh Yadav be handed over the reins of the state. "The meeting of legislators will be held after Holi to decide the future chief minister's name," party sources said here. The legislators meeting, which was earlier scheduled for this evening was postponed keeping in mind the convenience of newly-elected MLAs due to the festival of Holi. Earlier this morning, a meeting of the SP parliamentary board was held in which majority of members pitched for state president Akhilesh Yadav as the next chief minister. However, the final decision will be taken by party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. "Majority of MLAs are in favour of making Akhilesh the next CM. At the meeting of legislators, they will put in their views on the issue", party national general secretary Naresh Agarwal told PTI. A number of MLAs, who reached here at the party headquarters met Mulayam Singh Yadav and congratulated him for the victory of the party. "Now, the SP leaders will meet the governor for forming the ...
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New Delhi, Corruption and price rise were the main reasons why the Congress fared so badly in the five state elections, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) said Wednesday. "The overall results of the elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur constitute a setback for the Congress," the CPI-M said. "Part of this failure can be attributed to the people's discontent against price rise and corruption for which they hold the Congress-led UPA government at the centre responsible," it said in a statement. The CPI-M hailed the Samajwadi Party's victory as "remarkable". "The (Uttar Pradesh) verdict is not only against the Mayawati government, but the people have rejected the BJP and the Congress too. The BJP in particular has failed to make any headway. "The results show also that the BJP is not seen as a credible alternative to the Congress. "Apart from its performance in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP lost in Uttarkhand and its seats have been reduced in Punjab." The Congress lost power in Goa, it failed to win in Punjab, fared badly in Uttar Pradesh and just managed to be ahead by one seat in Uttarakhand. "The sole exception has been its ...
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New Delhi, Regional political parties would rule two most politically important northern states in India with a young Akhilesh Yadav crafted Samajwadi Party sweeping the polls in Uttar Pradesh pouring cold waters in the dreams of Rahul Gandhi-led Congress, while the Akalis returned to Punjab in alliance with the BJP. Manipur is the only state where Congress won decisively even as it got a wafer thin edge in Uttarakhand and said would try to form a government there with Independents and others. In Goa, Congress was trounced by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)-Mahrashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) combine. The results of elections in five states were counted and declared on Tuesday. Congress licked the dust in Uttar Pradesh despite a valiant effort by poster boy Rahul Gandhi, as the Samajwadi Party of electoral politics hardened Mulayam Singh Yadav swept the polls in the heartland state riding on the strategy of young leader and son Akhilesh Yadav. However, indications are that father Mulayam Singh Yadav will be the next chief minister of the state that the party won back. "Everybody wants Netaji [Mulayam]," said son Akhilesh Yadav. Out of the 403 seats, SP ...
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New Delhi, The Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Akali Dal emerged big winners Tuesday, with one poised to govern Uttar Pradesh and the other breaking a four-decade jinx to retain power in Punjab, leaving national parties BJP and Congress to count their losses despite wins in two of the five states. Two ruling parties ousted, two holding on to power despite the odds and a neck and neck race in a fifth state - it was a confused electoral pastiche as millions of votes were counted for elections held in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa. It was the biggest popularity test since the 2009 general elections. Punjab was set to go back to the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party combine, which survived anti-incumbency to emerge winner with leads in 63 seats against the Congress' 51 in the 117-member house. In Manipur, the Congress overcame the anti-incumbency to sweep the polls. However, the Congress government in Goa prepared to make way for BJP rule. In Uttar Pradesh, the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) faced defeat with trends indicating that it would get just 88 of the 403 seats, leaving the SP triumphant with a stunning mandate of 214 seats. The ...
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New Delhi, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Tuesday accepted responsibility for the party's disastrous showing in Uttar Pradesh where he aggressively led the election campaign. "I fought, so it is my responsibility (for what happened)," Gandhi told reporters here, as it became clear that the Samajwadi Party was poised to take power in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress was decimated, winning barely 27 of 403 seats -- marginally more than the 22 it won five years ago. "We fought well but the results are not so good," he said, looking tired but managing a smile now and then. "I promised to the people of UP that I will be seen with the poor, on the roads and fields. "My work will continue. My efforts will be to re-erect the Congress in UP." Gandhi said it was too early to explain why the Congress was routed. "One or two reasons are very clear... Organisationally we are not where we should be. And the general mood was for the Samajwadi Party... "The Congress fundamentals were weak. Until we set that right, that weakness will not go away. "Overall our position has improved but it has to be taken forward." Gandhi politely sidestepped questions as to why ...
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New Delhi, The Samajwadi Party (SP) getting the maximum seats in the Uttar Pradesh is a cause of worry and if it forms the government, crime will rise in the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said Tuesday. "As of now, the picture is not very clear. But it is clear that the SP is rising as the number one party in the state. It is a cause of worry as crime will increase in the state and I am worried about safety of people," Uma Bharti, the party state poll campaign chief, told Times Now. The state is headed for a hung verdict with the Bahujan Samaj Party set to be voted out and the Samajwadi Party finishing on top, but without the half-way numbers needed to control the 403-member assembly. ...
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New Delhi, Counting of votes for this year’s assembly polls in five Indian states began on Tuesday, with stark indications of a change of power in the country’s largest and politically critical state Uttar Pradesh. By around 10:15 am with trends coming in on 340 of the 403-seat house, the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh led in 87 seats, a dip of 93 compared to the last elections. The main opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) was the largest gainer, in line with expectations, with 149 leads, a rise of 63, compared to last time. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as a dark horse in the state, posting leads in 59 seats -- a rise of 11 -- even as its opponent, the Congress, despite its high profile campaigning led by Rahul Gandhi, headed for a boost with leads in 47 seats, a rise of 16. In Uttarakhand, with preliminary results available for all the 70 seats of the House, the Opposition Congress led on 33 seats, a rise of 12 compared to the last elections, while the ruling BJP showed leads on 24 seats, a decline of 11. In Punjab, a state of 117 constituencies with data flowing in for 114 of them, the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata ...
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