Testing times ahead for the fiery administrator

One month time may be too small a period for a political honeymoon between a government and the people to last but the 'new style' of governance of Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party government in Uttar Pradesh, which has silenced the opposition parties, is something a strange phenonmenon.

The month-old majority Mayawati government has so far not given any chance to the main opposition parties like Samajwadi Party, Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress to raise any point of order with regards to the state administration.

SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav has gone into oblivion with his no single political statement coming out, while the BJP is still recovering from the shock of its worst-ever performance at the last polls. The newly- developed bonhomie between the ruling party and the Congress at the Central level is just too domineering for the state unit to register any protest over anything.

During the short period of one month, since the Mayawati government was sworn-in as the UP chief minister on May 13 last, the BSP has managed to rope in several SP and BJP legislators into its fold with at least two parties -- Loktantrik Congress and Uma Bharti-led Bharatiya Jan Shakti Party -- having merged into BSP without any murmuring in the political circles.

The first and the foremost achievement of the Mayawati government has been creating a perception of putting an end to much-maligned 'transfer-posting' industry -- a practice of shuffling bureaucracy everyday by all the governments in the past.

"The choice of honest and competent officers to be posted at the 'prime' places has so far been impeccable with no party is in the position raise an iota of doubt over the intentions of the new government in the state," says a political observer.

Various issues, which once seemed to create flutter in the administrative corridors -- like posting of Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh, murder of some SP functioneries in a couple of districts and the Gujjar reservation issues reaching the western parts of the state, had just failed to evoke any adverse response from any quarters.

In fact, all these issues were overshadowed by some pro-active actions of the government, though at times look like driven by political compulsions, coupled with some good postings, which many believe are done at the initiative of the Cabinet Secretary, again a dampener for the opposition parties.

Despite this, testing times are ahead for the Mayawati government with the power situation getting worse, the first budget that is to be placed later this month with empty coffers (as claimed by the chief minister herself) and law and order situation, which was the main plank of the ruling party during its poll campaign.

Mayawati, who is always known for her fiery style of functioning suspending senior officials at the drop of the hat, has adopted a sober approach charting out her priorities and giving officials two months time to perform showing an example of mature and fair administrative acumen.

The drive against corruption in Public Works Department, Development Authorities and Industrial sector allegedly committed during the previous regime are looked upon keenly by all.

"The rampant corruption has been one of many reasons for the downfall of Mulayam regime hence any pro-active measure would be well received by the state," observes a senior minister of Mayawati government.

Another message of the chief minister, which has gone down well among the bureaucracy and the general public alike is the announcement by the chief minister that no political interference would be tolerated in the administration.

How the lady would tackle it, with her own political level is to be seen, but in the public it has always been a welcome move.