Mayawati questions Akhilesh's foreign trip

Lucknow, Aug 30: Taking a dig at the SP government, BSP chief Mayawati today questioned Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's visit to the Netherlands and claimed that if the state's potential was exploited, such foreign trips would not be needed.

The visit beginning today seeks to bring in more investments in the state. There was a great potential in the state which, if exploited properly would not require foreign trips as had been done by her as a chief minister, she said.

Continuing her attack on the Samajwadi Party-led UP government, she said it was only making announcements and holding cabinet meetings while taking "no concrete step" to practically improve the situation with regard to the law and order situation. The former chief minister alleged that with SP government at the helm, there was no sight of any improvement in the law and order situation or fall in crimes against women and "...knowing the views that the SP chief have with regards to women can they (women) get justice during this government". She also alleged that SP government was hand in glove with sugar mill owners and was harassing the cane-growers with them.

Mayawati said that important two-day meeting of her party are being held here from today during which directives would be issued to partymen on improving the party base besides reviewing the political dimensions after the coming to power of the BJP government, alleged rise in communalism and law and order situation in the state. The election of party national president will also be held today, she added.

PTI