Akhilesh skips PM event at Noida; 'jinx' at play?

Noida, April 5: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday, April 4 again skipped Prime Minister Narendra Modi's event at this town adjoining the national capital, apparently owing to the so-called 'Noida jinx'.

Yadav skipping the Stand Up India event is the second instance of his avoiding going to Noida in three months time. Modi at a gala event at Sector-62 of Noida township launched the 'Stand up India' scheme under which banks will give loans between Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore to SC/ST and women entrepreneurs.

While Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik was present at the event, Yadav was absent. His government was represented by a state cabinet minister. Earlier on December 31, 2016, Akhilesh had not attended Modi's programme to lay the foundation of Delhi-Meerut Expressway.

Noida jinx, as per political circles, has in the past caught up with several chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, including Veer Bahadur Singh, Narayan Dutt Tiwari, Kalyan Singh and Mayawati, who lost their chairs soon after visiting Noida.

The jinx started in 1988 when former chief minister Vir Bahadur Singh lost power within days of visiting Noida that year. Later in 1997, Mayawati lost power after visiting Noida. Earlier, in 1989, N D Tiwari and 10 years later, in 1999, Kalyan Singh suffered the same fate.

In 1995, Mulayam was out of power within months of his Noida visit. The last one was Mayawati, who lost power in 2012 assembly elections after she flew down to Noida in October 2011 to inaugurate the Dalit Prerna Sthal.

In August 2012, Akhilesh inaugurated the Yamuna Expressway from Lucknow and avoided travelling to Noida. The following year, he inaugurated infrastructure projects in Gautam Buddh Nagar without visiting the city. In 2001, the then UP CM Rajnath Singh inaugurated the DND flyway from Delhi, but did not visit Noida.

PTI