`Centre enjoying our support but indulging in dishonest politics`

Lucknow: In an apparent attack on the Congress-led UPA government, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday said while the Samajwadi Party was extending all cooperation to the Centre, some parties were indulging in dishonest politics. "We have been supporting the UPA government. But there are some parties, which despite enjoying our cooperation, are indulging in dishonest politics," Akhilesh said, addressing a programme to mark the culmination of a cycle yatra.

Giving an example, the Chief Minister said, "In the 108 Samajwadi ambulance service... the UPA government wanted to remove the word `Samajwadi` and the Centre did not extend any help. But we refused to change our stand." Akhilesh said the SP government never backtracked when it came to the welfare of the people and added, "We gave free land for AIIMS, which the Mayawati government did not do during their regime. In fact, we demanded three such facilities in the state." Claiming SP`s contribution in the setting up of food processing unit, whose foundation was laid recently, the Chief Minister said, "During the previous regime, some officials, who did not know a bit about the technology, were more interested in tenders." Many SP colleagues, who fought against the previous regime, feel the pain that the same officials were in the present government, he said, adding, "But it`s a compulsion, we have to get the work done." In an apparent dig at the BJP and the Congress, he said some parties were making efforts to reach out to the youths and using social media for the purpose. "But they forget that they are learning about the social media and we have grown up with it," he said.