By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,
Lucknow: With winds of Anna Hazare’s crusade sweeping the nation, the state chief of Samajwadi Party (SP) Akhilesh Yadav on Monday urged Anna Hazare to wage a battle against corruption in the state.
However, Akhilesh apprehended that Anna will be greeted with lathis by the state government if he launches any anti-corruption movement in the state. “It has been the practice that whosoever raised his voice against corruption was beaten up. There are ample examples to prove the fact. We are waging a war against state government’s corruption for past four years and will be happy if Anna joins the struggle against corruption,” said Akhilesh while interacting with reporters at party headquarters on Monday.
Lauding Anna’s efforts, Akhilesh stated that the issue of corruption has plagued every walk of life. “In the state, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has institutionalised the corruption. No development works have been done. Rampant corruption is leading to murder of doctors and other officials. Money is being drained on parks, memorials and statues, it is most appropriate for Anna to wage a battle against corruption in the state and we will support him,” he said.
Later, responding to a query regarding the resentment among workers over selection of candidates for assembly elections in the state, Akhilesh admitted that there were some some voices but they can be termed insignificant. “I had toured atleast 7-8 districts and travelled by road till Etah. I interacted with workers in all the districts en route. There is no such resentment but some difference of opinion over the candidature is there,” he said. He however further added that the matter has been resolved by his personal intervention and everything is now fine.
Earlier, a little known outfit Akhand Desham Party (ADP) was merged with SP on Monday. Chief of the (ADP), Radheyshyam Singh announced that all the 29 district units of his party in the state have now merged with SP. Singh, claimed that he was earlier national general secretary of Apna Dal and later formed ADP. A former officer with UP Co-operative department, he expressed his loyalty towards SP claiming it to be a party of poors.