Akhilesh says bungalow damage row a saffron conspiracy to defame him

Terming it as a saffron conspiracy to defame him, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and president of the Samajwadi Party Akhilesh Yadav slammed the BJP over reports of damage to the bungalow vacated by him in the state capital.

“It is the BJP’s conspiracy …The BJP is rattled after repeated defeats in a series of by-elections…that is why they are trying to defame me,” said Akhilesh at a hurriedly convened press conference in Lucknow on Wednesday.

Yadav’s outburst came a day after UP Governor Ram Naik asked the state government to take action over the reported damage to the bungalow vacated by him. Calling it a “serious matter” the governor shot off a letter to CM Yogi in which he wrote that the residence allocated to the former chief minister belongs to the Estates Department and their maintenance is done through the taxpayers’ money. Going a step further, the Governor also called the Estates Department officials to get a first-hand account of the damages in the bungalow vacated by Akhilesh Yadav.

He was apparently told by the department that videography had been done at the houses vacated by the former chief ministers, including Akhilesh Yadav.

Following the Supreme Court order, the UP estates department had issued notices to six former chief ministers—Narayan Dutt Tiwari, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Kalyan Singh, Mayawati, Rajnath Singh and Akhilesh Yadav.

Barring Congress veteran ND Tiwari, who is ailing in Delhi, all of them have now vacated their official bungalows.

The Estate Department is learnt to have submitted its preliminary report in which it said that all the bungalows vacated by the former CMs were found in satisfactory condition except SP chief's Akhilesh Yadav’s 4, Vikramaditya Marg.  The Estate Department has said in its report that a number of things were found damaged and missing in Akhilesh Yadav’s former official residence.