Akhilesh releases manifesto, Mulayam, Shivpal skip event

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, January 22

Ruling Samajwadi Party today released its manifesto for Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, promising a bunch of schemes for all-round development of the state at a function which SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav and his brother Shivpal gave a miss.

The manifesto, released by SP national president and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, promises free pressure cookers and 50 per cent concession in bus fares for women, smartphones for the youth, one kilogram of desi ghee and milk powder for students of government primary schools, free foodgrain to Antodaya card holders and priority households and monthly pension of Rs 1,000 for one crore poor people.

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Besides, it focuses on farmers’fund, mandis and institutes for skill development along the expressways. It also focuses on solar energy and revival of traditional irrigation in Bundelkhand and an emergency ambulance service for livestock in rural areas.

The SP manifesto clearly attracts woman voter promising pressure cooker, free cycle to girls between Classes 9 and 12, free sanitary napkins in rural areas through PHCs and CHCs and mid-day meals to labourers at subsidised rates.

For the minorities, the manifesto promises an atmosphere of religious freedom, share in government schemes as per their population, skill development and design support for artisans in traditional crafts, career counselling and better educational facilities.

Akhilesh said his party was way ahead in the competition and if it did face any it was from the Samajwadis themselves. Attacking the BJP government at the Centre, Akhilesh said in the name of development at times people were given brooms or asked to do yoga.

Akhilesh said he was wondering what happened to the assurance of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' and promise of 'achche din'.

Describing the BSP as 'patthar ki sarkar' he quipped that if it got inspired by the huge statue coming up in Maharashtra then the entire public money would be used for it. In his first public appearance after becoming the national president, Akhilesh asked the party candidates to prepare a roadmap for the development of their respective constituency.

Strangely, now the official "guardian" of the party Mulayam Singh Yadav did not turn up for the function. Senior minister Mohd Azam Khan was sent to bring the patriarch but neither the senior Yadav nor Azam Khan showed up. Mulayam is apparently upset at his trusted aide Ambika Chaudhary being forced to leave the party and join the BSP by the Akhilesh faction.