In Gujarat, Akhilesh Yadav might take a dig at Gandhinagar

LUCKNOW: The Vibrant Gujarat-Pravasi Bharatiya Divas twin events could be in for some spicy moments if the Akhilesh Yadav led Uttar Pradesh government’s plans to contrast its achievements with that of “tall claims on development” made by Gujarat gets played out in Gandhinagar.

Yadav, along with a battery of top bureaucrat s, will be in Gandhinagar on January 9, to represent UP, which is also a partner state in the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. UP had been accorded the status of a partner state much earlier, but the equations between Gandhinagar and Lucknow soured last week after Ahmedabad City Corporation pulled down posters put up by UP inviting investors to come to the state.

UP has shot off a strongly-worded letter to Gujarat objecting to the removal of hoardings publicising UP’s achievements under Yadav and has demanded the posters be restored. Principal Secretary, Information and Public Relations, Navneet Sehgal in a letter to his Gujarat counterpart has stated that UP is a partner state in the PBD and had put up the hoardings to publicise UP’s strengths and policies, through authorised agencies, which were removed “illegally” by the Ahmedabad administration that “creates a perception of wilful harassment”.