In a first, UP bureaucrats are investing outside UP: Akhilesh

Lucknow: Accusing the BJP of having failed to check rampant corruption in the state govt, Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said the bureaucrats from UP are making investments outside the state.
"This is being seen for the first time that UP (cadre) officials are investing outside the state. Some bureaucrats who hail from a cadre outside UP on plum posts, have also made investments in states other than Uttar Pradesh. It was one of these investments where a lot of cash was intercepted," Akhilesh said.
"People have already seen the tussle over sharing of commission," he said, in an apparent reference to the suspension of state industrial development department secretary and Invest UP chief executive officer (CEO) Abhishek Prakash for allegedly seeking bribe from a businessman for granting approval to a project.
Accusing the BJP of not allowing wholesalers and traders to buy wheat from farmers at higher rates, he said the state govt has joined hands with select corporates to ensure that farmers don't sell their produce at higher rates.
"At the instance of a few corporates, the BJP govt has banned wholesalers and traders from purchasing wheat from farmers at a higher rate," said Akhilesh at press conference where the leader of opposition in the state assembly Mata Prasad Pandey raised the issue of corruption where crores of rupees were allegedly transferred to bank accounts in UP, Siliguri and Bihar against purchase of wheat and paddy but only on paper.
"The amount transferred was later withdrawn by officials. The scam was in the know of the CM and despite that action was initiated against a few junior level officers and the matter was hushed up," Pandey said.
Akhilesh, who was talking to the media after addressing a conference of the Chauhan community at the party headquarters in Lucknow, said: "Going by the enthusiasm and positive vibes coming from the Chauhan community, we are confident that they will ensure that SP govt is formed in the 2027 assembly polls. I assure you that the Chauhan community will be honoured in UP."
Akhilesh accused the BJP of weaving a web of conspiracies. "The central govt was forced to give a nod to caste census only due to the pressure from PDA. BJP is yet to come to terms with the results of 2024 Lok Sabha polls in UP where it was defeated at the hands of the SP. The cadre must now remain cautious and make sure that BJP does not indulge in any wrongdoing while getting caste census done," he said.