Congress launches attack on Akhilesh Das and senior bureaucrat

Lucknow, May 10 (UNI) Describing the resignation of Mr Akhilesh Das from the party and his joining BSP as part of a "big deal" facilitated by a bureaucrat, the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) today demanded inquiry into his recently acquired properties and other business activities .

The UPCC questioned the involvement of the senior bureaucrat currently posted with Chief Minister Mayawati, saying both the officer and Mr Das should be subjected to intensive inquiry.

''The decision of Mr Das to quit the Congress and join the BSP was not spontaneous, but it has been in the planning for long and that is why the former had been getting all undue favours from the Mayawati government,''UPCC president Dr Rita Bahuguna Joshi alleged at a press conference here.

She said the officer concerned, who has been close to Mr Das should as well be placed under suspension till the inquiry was conducted. ''We have some concrete evidences that Mr Das, of late, had got many favours from the Mayawati government in the form of illegal constructions and otherwise,''she pointed out.

Ms Joshi said the reasons listed by Mr Das on quitting the Congress were "flimsy and cover up" for his "unholy" alliance with the BSP. ''The bureaucrat did play a major role in the entire 'drama' and I expect the Mayawati government to ask him about it in a transparent manner,''she added.

The UPCC president, on the occasion, released a booklet in retaliation to the similar booklet issued by the UP government in which it was alleged that the Central government was deliberately holding back the funds for development of the state.

Ms Joshi said state government never utilised the funds properly without which the next instalment could not be released. ''....Also the UP government had not submitted the projects with the Centre to qualify for the Central aid,'' she added.

With regards to much-publicised Rs 80,000 crore special package for the state development, the Congress leader pointed out that all the developmental components were already included in the Centre's initiative of 'Bharat Nirman' scheme. Hence no separate funds should be required by the state.

Ms Joshi said the Congress was already on the job to expose the "fallacy" of the Mayawati government's developmental activities, which were mired in ''corruption and misgovernance''.

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