'Akhilesh is a down to earth leader'

Akhilesh Yadav, Uttar Pradesh's new chief minister, will have to take some tough decisions to prove himself to be a good administrator and restore the law and order in the state, feels Congress-turned-Samajwadi Party politician Shahid Siddiqui

"Though he is relatively new to administration, he would be able to keep things under control under the watchful eye his illustrious father Mulayam Singh Yadav who had been chief minister of Uttar Pradesh three times. He is the new 'icon' of Samajwadi party," Siddiqui, member of the Rajya Sabha, told rediff.com. 

"A three-time Member of Parliament from Kannuj in UP Akhilesh was instrumental in raking up anti-Mayavati anger throughout the state particularly in the Muslim community, which felt cheated and neglected by the previous government who did not give them what was due to them," he said.

According to Siddiqui, netaji -- as Mulayam is endearingly known in political circles --

kept Akhilesh away from politics till he completed his education.

A student of Sainik School, Dhaulpur in Rajasthan, Akhilesh has a degree in engineering in environment science.

"He doesn't have a swagger. He is down to earth. Akhilesh has imbibed all the qualities of being a good leader from netaji. He is a disciplined person and never misused the power during his father's tenure as chief minister of the state," he said.

Terming Akhilesh as most successful young leader, the RS member said: "He has more grace than the youth of his age, who often fall prey to arrogance. He accepted the verdict of the people most humbly. He will prove himself as a good administrator. One of his outstanding qualities is that he is a good organizer and knows how to get work done by party workers."

"He knows virtually every important person -- from the panchayat level to the top -- and remembers most of them by their names. It is the people who wanted to see him as chief minister," Shahid Siddiqui remarked.