Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday inaugurated multi-crore infrastructure projects in Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway from Lucknow. The Chief Minister said he will visit Noida if he returns to power in the State in 2017.
He inaugurated 21 infra projects in Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway, and addressed party workers, including officials, sitting in Noida Stadium in Sector 21A thorough video-conferencing.
Mr. Yadav criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the demonetisation move. “He (Narendra Modi) wanted to act smart by scrapping the use of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 currency notes through demonetisation. But that smartness backfired as he ended up troubling people for no good. Today, the entire country is standing in queues, facing great pain in withdrawing their own money. This line is unending and lengthening day by day. People will also stand in line in 2017 Assembly polls to teach them (BJP) a lesson,” said Mr. Yadav.
Metro projects
He inaugurated two projects -- 3.9-km-long Botanical Garden-Kalindi Kunj Metro line and city bus service for Noida and Greater Noida. He also laid foundation stone of a 15-km Metro link between Noida’s Sector 71 and Greater Noida’s Knowledge Park-V, which is likely to become operational by 2021, and Rs. 140-crore elevated rotary interchange at Noida’s Sector 149 and 150.
Mr. Yadav said he will visit Noida only after forming the next government in 2017. He also explained why he has not visited Noida even once after coming into power in Uttar Pradesh. “I know Noida is a city of high and mighty. Some people advised me to stay away from Noida. Therefore, I made it a point not to visit the city. But I had put all developmental projects of Noida or Greater Noida on fast-track as we want development in our State,” said Mr. Yadav.
Eye on elections
Hitting out at the BJP, he said in democracy if the general public is harassed by somebody then people reply in elections. “With limited resources, we have completed infra projects before time. We have given Metro, city bus service, cycle tracks and many more facilities to the public. We have given Agra-Lucknow Expressway. I am sure the Samajwadi Party will open its account in Noida region in 2017 Assembly elections as people have understood that we believe in development and executed projects on ground, unlike our Opposition parties,” Mr. Yadav added.
He claimed that the opposition parties -- BSP and BJP -- are hand in glove as both do not want to work for the people.
“In 2014 parliamentary elections, the BSP votes were transferred to the BJP because they had a pact. Now since we have done work on ground level, the wave is in our favour. After demonetisation, the BJP has suffered immensely as people have now understood they (BJP) do not want to work,” said Mr. Yadav.
The writer is a freelance journalist
