Akhilesh hints at early LS poll

Hinting at the possibility that the country may be headed for mid-term elections anytime this year, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday asked his supporters to remain prepared.

Speaking at a civic reception organised by a section of the Rajasthan state government employees bitterly opposed to reservation in promotions at Amritom ki Bagh in Jaipur, the SP leader dubbed the provision as against natural justice and promised to fight it “tooth and nail” in the Parliament.

His move to scrap reservation in promotion following the Supreme Court decision has made him a hero in Rajasthan where state employees have been fighting the provision for a long time.

The chief minister promised to defeat parties supporting the move, much to the delight of his hosts.

“Nobody is against reservation. The sections of the people who were socially and educationally backward need special consideration. But extending this provision of reservation in promotion is fraught with long standing consequences,” he said.

The chief minister said juniors rose in ranks while seniors had been left behind after the provision was introduced in his state, causing widespread discontentment amongst government employees.

He also said reservation in promotion lead to organised corruption within the government machinery as a handful of people crawl up the ranks through illegal means.