RASHTRIYA LOK Dal (RLD) leader Dr Mairajuddin Ahmad was on Sunday inducted into the Mulayam Singh Yadav Cabinet. Govenor TV Rajeswar administered the oath of office and secrecy to him at a simple ceremony at Raj Bhawan.
Irrigation Minister Munna Singh Chauhan had resigned on Saturday to pave the way for induction of Ahmad, who is also the UP Exports Corporation chairman. The RLD, an ally of the Samajwadi Party, has six ministers and three chairmen of corporations in the government.
Though Dr Ahmad is not a member of either House of the State Legislature, he is likely to be elected to the Vidhan Parishad on March 28. The chief minister and other ministers were present at the ceremony.
While Dr Ahmad claimed that Chauhan had been given an important role as the RLD national general secretary and incharge of the UP unit in an election year, a sulking Chauhan confined himself to his hometown Faizabad on Sunday.
Chauhan told Hindustan Times on the phone that the leadership had directed him to concentrate on organisational work in an election year .
Dr Ahmad, too, said his “services” were required in the organisation.
The exit of Chauhan is reported to be a fallout of a tussle with powerful party leader and Irrigation Development and Flood Control Commission chairperson Anuradha Chaudhury.
Dr Ahmad, too, said his “services” were required in the organisation.
The exit of Chauhan is reported to be a fallout of a tussle with powerful party leader and Irrigation Development and Flood Control Commission chairperson Anuradha Chaudhury.
Despite being the Irrigation Minister, Chauhan was reportedly forced to play second fiddle to Anuradha Chaudhury, who earlier held this portfolio. Anuradha quit the Yadav ministry after winning the Lok Sabha election.
But, the State Government established the irrigation commission to continue her hold on the department. Party sources said Chauhan had been simply reduced to a “rubber stamp” and when he refused to put his signature on the dotted lines, he was given marching orders.
It is learnt that a well-entrenched engineers-contractors lobby has also played a vital role in Chauhan’s removal.
Dr Ahmad, who also heads the western Uttar Pradesh unit of the party, said despite chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav’s strong reservation on the Harit Pradesh demand, the issue was on top of the party’s agenda.
Dr Ahmad said he had joined the Rashtriya Lok Dal just because of this issue.
Referring to prevailing political uncertainty, the newly installed minister said it was a temporary phase and elections would be held on time.