It?s official, UP polls next year

VIRTUALLY PUTTING an end to speculations, Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today said that Assembly elections in UP would be held in 2007. The CM had recently asked party workers to be war ready and that gave birth to rumours about snap polls.

CM promises power bonanza after Sept 1

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VIRTUALLY PUTTING an end to speculations, Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today said that Assembly elections in UP would be held in 2007. The CM had recently asked party workers to be war ready and that gave birth to rumours about snap polls.

The Chief Minister, who was here to attend the marriage of the daughter of Samajwadi Party MLA Aruna Tomar and former MLC Lal Singh Tomar, told mediapersons that the Samajwadi Party was preparing for elections keeping in mind 2007.

To a question on the present condition of the SP in the State, the CM said the Opposition and the media had been saying all sorts of things but records speak for themselves. He said SP had won the maximum number of seats in the elections to block pramukh and panchayat chairman posts and this reflected his party’s strength. He said assembly elections show where SP stood in the State.

On the issue of power crisis, the CM said the situation would change after September 1. He also stated that the State Government’s decision to distribute five sarees to women every year was only for the poor and needy women.

However, he said since the Opposition might term it an election stunt, the programme would be implemented after the Assembly polls.

Talking about the Bundelkhand region, the Chief Minister said the State Government has informed the Planning Commission about its stand. When asked about special status for few districts, the CM refuted the charges. To a question on a special package for Kanpur, he said the city did not need it.

“Instead, the city will soon give a special package to the State,” he added. However, the CM did elaborate on it.