Why Akhilesh Yadav brought two taps to his press conference

On Wednesday, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav gave a unique presser in which he had brought along to taps to show to the media.

The SP chief was answering questions about allegations levelled against him about leaving the official bungalow worse for wear.

He said at the press conference: “The BJP is saying that he had taken away taps. I want to give them taps through the media."

He further said: "I had my gym and a steel structure there. In my new house I will use it. The BJP is trying to humiliate me with the help of media. I also know photography and the angle used to show what is to be emphasised.”

Yadav smelled a BJP "conspiracy" to "malign" him in reports of damage to the bungalow vacated by him here and sought to know as to why two state officials had entered the house before it was shown to the media.

The SP leader also hit out at the state Governor over the issue, saying he has the "soul of RSS".

"I want to ask from the government as to why CM's OSD Abhishek (Kaushik) and IAS Mrityunjay Narain went to my house before it was shown to the media. I want to ask them to check the inventory of the house and tell me what I have taken. I am waiting for the report," a fuming Akhilesh said at a hurriedly convened press conference here.

"It's a conspiracy of the BJP after its humiliating defeat in by-elections in Gorakhpur, Phulpur, Kairana and Noorpur.

It is rattled after these repeated defeats. I want to tell them (BJP) that the same officers will find out something when you (BJP) leave your house. They might come out with a 'chilam' (a small pipe that holds tobacco and other substances being smoked)," he said.

"If I am told about missing things, I will return the items immediately. Someone is saying Rs 42 crore was spent on the bungalow...Some say there was a swimming pool, which I filled before leaving the premises. I am ready to go there again. Show me where is the pool," he said.

Attacking the governor, Akhilesh said, "He is a good person but he is not following the Constitution. He does not have the Constitution in his soul but there is the RSS," he said, adding that he has "good relations" with the governor.

Akhilesh said "The BJP is saying that he had taken away taps. I want to give them taps through the media." "I had my gym and a steel structure there. In my new house I will use it. The BJP is trying to humiliate me with the help of media. I also know photography and the angle used to show what is to be emphasised," he said.

In a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the governor said reports about the damage at 4, Vikramaditya Marg, were doing the rounds in the media and among the common people.

He said this was a "serious matter".

"The residence allocated to the former chief ministers belong to the Estates department and their maintenance is done through the taxpayers' money," he wrote.

"The state government needs to take proper action as per rules into the damages caused to the state's property," Naik had said.

The bungalow was vacated by the Samajwadi Party leader in compliance with a Supreme Court order that former chief ministers were not entitled to any government accommodation in Lucknow.

Video clips and photos had shown damage to a cycle track, on walls after air-conditioners seemed to have been removed and to the floor of what appeared to be a badminton court at the vacated bungalow.

Yadav had then said it was an attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party to defame him.

The governor also called the Estates department officials and was told that videography had been done at the houses vacated by the former chief ministers.

After the video clips surfaced, estates department official Yogesh Kumar Shukla had said officials will check the inventory of fittings provided at the bungalow.

The department will serve a notice if there was any damage done "intentionally" or if there was anything missing, he had said.

The Samajwadi Party had termed the video clips as an attempt to tarnish Yadav's image, saying his popularity was continuously growing after the defeat of the BJP in bypolls.

It asked why the bungalows vacated by other former chief ministers were not shown.

As the two parties sparred, the BJP had said the damage at the bungalow reflected Yadav's "frustration".

Following the Supreme Court order, the UP estates department had issued notices to six former chief ministers - Narayan Dutt Tiwari, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Kalyan Singh, Mayawati, Rajnath Singh and Akhilesh Yadav.

Barring Congress veteran ND Tiwari, who is ailing in Delhi, all of them have now handed over their official bungalows.

Asked at to why BSP supremo Mayawati was silent on alliance while he has offered to give more seats to her, Akhilesh said, "How do you know that? This is an era of mobile and Internet...I will not tell you anything...After Monsoon, the season of politics will come..."

With inputs from PTI