Is Akhilesh really the boss in Uttar Pradesh?

The past two years have been all about navigating the choppy waters of family connections, complicated intrigue and courts of appeal that have a tendency to cross each other out

It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that multiple poles of power in the Samajwadi Party are responsible for the ineffectiveness of the Akhilesh Yadav-led Uttar Pradesh government.

But the most visible and clear signs of it were there for all to see when UP’s Home Secretary Deepak Singhal, appointed a fortnight ago, was replaced by Rakesh Bahadur on Tuesday.

Intriguingly, Singhal continues to hold charge of the irrigation portfolio, and top bureaucrats confirmed that in the 15 days that he was home secretary, he did not give up the irrigation portfolio. When the CM suggested to him that he might not be able to do justice to both, he went to Shivpal Yadav, minister in-charge of the public works department and irrigation who is also Akhilesh’s uncle. It was at his instance that Singhal was moved from the home affairs and sent back to irrigation.

This is nothing new for UP. The past two years have been all about navigating the choppy waters of family connections, complicated intrigue and courts of appeal that have a tendency to cross each other out.

So who is really running UP? Most officers pause at the question. “It is the chief minister,” replied one, slowly, almost as if to convince himself. “Our system does not allow for outside interference. But if you were to ask me if the chief minister has a team that carries out his wishes… well, I would not like to commit myself on that: The ‘fifth floor’ is not what it used to be.” The reference was of course to the chief minister’s secretariat where a band of officer drawn from various spheres of influence in the SP is ensconced: ostensibly to ensure the youthful and inexperienced CM does not put a foot wrong; But, in fact, to guard many interests.

Actually, Akhilesh himself is on record as saying he was “dissatisfied with his secretariat”.  “This can only mean one thing -- he had no hand in picking it,” said an officer.

The fact is that at least three persons on the ‘fifth floor’ are those who are relics of the past SP government: Shambhu Singh Yadav and Jagdev Singh are both trusted allies of Mulayam Singh from the time he was CM.

Initially, when SP had come to power CM’s aides had confided in Business Standard that the plan was to open a branch of the CM’s office in the SP office -- so that party workers could get speedy redressal of day-to-day problems and Akhilesh had one less pair of eyes and ears of Netaji (as Mulayam is referred to in these parts).

That didn’t happen. In addition, the Principal Secretary to CM Anita Singh is not on talking terms with the CM: She is another Mulayam appointee. Officers noticed the near total absence of communication between the CM and PS recently when the government launched a helpline number for women. After the CM and the home secretary had spoken at the function, PS, too, asked for a chance to speak. That in itself was a surprise. She spoke about the importance of the helpline: but throughout her short speech the CM appeared to be irritated, fidgeting and rifling through papers.

“Something happened between January and October 2013,” said an officer.

In such a situation, it is laughably easy to play one powerful pole off against the other.

In the circumstances, it is a miracle if anything gets done at all. Akhilesh is a big picture man. He finds detail annoying and defers to officers for execution. But several agendas need to be served: And officers are on guard because no one knows whom you might have to please when the sun rises tomorrow.

Image: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav waves to his supporters during a rally. Photograph: Samajwadi Party/Facebook