Ministers getting ‘picture perfect'for their show of strength in UP

Time of India

5 days ago

Lucknow: Senior ministers from the state these days have developed a penchant for showing their strength through pictures and videos of events and meetings.
Most of these visuals are leaked as they are not sent through official channels.
Whether the event is political or apolitical, the message of the show of strength is loud and clear.
The latest such show of strength came from the minister of jail, Dara Singh Chauhan. The occasion was his birthday celebration at Indira Gandhi Pratisthan on Friday. The event, named 'Sankalp Diwas', was largely attended by members of Dara Singh's caste members – Nonia Chauhans.
However, the chief guests for the event were the two deputy CMs
Keshav Prasad Maurya
and Brajesh Pathak, along with BJP UP chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary.
It was purely the choice of Chauhan as to who would attend the event, but there were discussions around who all were not invited.
The trio came together at the event and urged those present to "repeat 2017 results in 2027 Assembly polls". This line that caught the attention of political observers was also part of the caption of the photographs shared after the meeting of Keshav Maurya with Union home minister Amit Shah on July 8.
Maurya's meeting with Shah was followed by his meeting with defence minister Rajnath Singh on July 9 and UP governor Anandiben Patel on July 11. After Maurya, pictures of Brajesh Pathak meeting Shah on July 17 also went viral.
While Dara Singh Chauhan's event was a show of strength with politics of symbolism at its core, at least three different videos involving energy minister AK Sharma are being seen as his desperate bid not only to put his house (energy and urban development departments) in order but also send a message to officials and people in political circles of his proximity to New Delhi.
Visibly fed up with people confronting him about the poor situation in the power department during his visits to various places, Sharma, in a leaked video, is seen going harsh on officials for being paper tigers rather than looking at the reality at ground level. In another video, he is seen warning officials.
"While Lord Ram prayed for three days, I explained it for three years, but now, that time is over. If the officers think that the minister does not have the power to transfer or suspend, they should understand that if I use sudarshan chakra like Lord Krishna did, no one — from Delhi to Rashtrapati Bhavan — will be able to save you," Sharma warned the officials.
A few days back, even former MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh made a visit to 5 Kalidas Marg, the official residence of CM Yogi Adityanath. His meeting with the CM was held after a gap of 31 months, he claimed. The next day, Keshav Maurya hosted Brij Bhushan's son Prateek Bhushan at his official 7 Kalidas Marg residence.
More than the pictures and videos, their timing has intrigued political pundits. Senior journalist Ratan Mani Lal said that such posturing has begun as it's well-known that there would be changes in the organisation and the ministries, both in the Centre and the state. "Since these leaders have smelled the forthcoming changes, they are leaving no stone unturned to present their case before the senior leaders and the community they represent," he said.