<p>Vacating government bungalows by outgoing ministers following electoral defeats may appear to be too routine a matter to grab media attention. In Uttar Pradesh, however, it became the focus of attention.<br /><br />The ‘Modi magic’, which swept the state in the just-concluded Assembly polls and handed down one of the worst defeats to the Samajwadi Party, it seems, continues to haunt the SP leaders.<br /><br />And this time Modi’s magic was on display on the doors of one of the outgoing UP ministers, Ravi Das Mehrotra, in the form of a lock when he vacated his official accommodation on Friday.<br /><br />The lock read ‘Modi Magic Double Lock’, which was manufactured by a firm in UP’s Aligarh town, known for its lock industry. <br /><br />It was, however, unclear if the ‘Modi Magic’ locks were deliberately used to lock up the government bungalows. <br /><br />It is the estate department that is responsible for maintaining and renovating government accommodations used to house ministers. <br /><br />“It is like any other lock... the only thing is that they are safer as they have a double locking system,” an official said.<br /><br />Double jeopardy <br /><br />For many others it seemed to be double jeopardy for the SP leaders. <br />“The Modi magic is still haunting them (SP leaders)... their fate has been double locked,” said a supporter of one of the newly elected BJP legislators.<br /><br />The BJP scripted a historic win in the state Assembly polls, capturing 312 of the 403 seats.<br /><br /></p>
<p>Vacating government bungalows by outgoing ministers following electoral defeats may appear to be too routine a matter to grab media attention. In Uttar Pradesh, however, it became the focus of attention.<br /><br />The ‘Modi magic’, which swept the state in the just-concluded Assembly polls and handed down one of the worst defeats to the Samajwadi Party, it seems, continues to haunt the SP leaders.<br /><br />And this time Modi’s magic was on display on the doors of one of the outgoing UP ministers, Ravi Das Mehrotra, in the form of a lock when he vacated his official accommodation on Friday.<br /><br />The lock read ‘Modi Magic Double Lock’, which was manufactured by a firm in UP’s Aligarh town, known for its lock industry. <br /><br />It was, however, unclear if the ‘Modi Magic’ locks were deliberately used to lock up the government bungalows. <br /><br />It is the estate department that is responsible for maintaining and renovating government accommodations used to house ministers. <br /><br />“It is like any other lock... the only thing is that they are safer as they have a double locking system,” an official said.<br /><br />Double jeopardy <br /><br />For many others it seemed to be double jeopardy for the SP leaders. <br />“The Modi magic is still haunting them (SP leaders)... their fate has been double locked,” said a supporter of one of the newly elected BJP legislators.<br /><br />The BJP scripted a historic win in the state Assembly polls, capturing 312 of the 403 seats.<br /><br /></p>