Troubles for UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav seem to be growing by the day.
UP minister of state for agriculture, Rajiv Kumar Singh, has written a letter to the chief minister accusing his senior agriculture minister Anand Singh of committing financial irregularities in the purchase of seeds for agricultural purposes.
The chief minister is said to have ordered a probe into the allegations though there was no official confirmation of the same.
Mr Rajiv Kumar Singh, in his letter, has alleged that the Cabinet minister was purchasing seeds at price higher than the prevailing market price.
Mr Rajiv Kumar Singh told reporters on Sunday that it was his duty to keep the chief minister informed of the wrong doings in his ministry. “It is up to the chief minister to take action or not but I will keep him informed,” he said.
He further added that the state government had earlier decided not to purchase seeds from private firms but contracts for purchase were given to such unauthorised firms for obvious gains.
Senior minister Anand Singh, on the other hand, claimed that rules had been followed in all purchases and that Mr Rajiv Kumar had some wrong information on this issue.
Meanwhile, the Congress and the BJP have demanded a high-level inquiry into the allegations against the agriculture minister by his deputy.
“It is certainly not a trivial matter because a minister of state has lodged a complaint against a Cabinet minister and the chief minister owes it to the people to hold an inquiry and inform the public about the findings,” said BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak.
UPCC spokesman Ashok Singh demanded the dismissal of Mr Anand Singh on the issue.
“If he continues as cabinet minister, an impartial probe cannot be expected. The chief minister should ask him to resign pending inquiry,” he said.