It was an awkward moment for the newly-appointed UPCC chief minister Nirmal Khatri when, during a meeting here, Congress legislators blamed their own MPs and ministers for not cooperating with them in raising issues related to the people.
The Congress legislators, without any hesitation, said that party MPs and ministers do not bother to attend party programmes in their constituencies and even during their visits, they do not bother to communicate their programmes to the MLAs.
The MLAs said that while top state leaders, including the CLP leader, meet the chief minister at regular intervals to get projects for their constituencies sanctioned, the legislators do not get to meet the chief minister.
“If our own MPs and Union ministers do not give due respect and recognition to the party legislators, how can you expect the Congress to stand on its feet in UP?” asked a senior legislator. The legislators’ grievances were directed towards the Union ministers from UP “who simply look through the Congress MLAs and do not seem to have the time for joint programmes.” The UPCC president was apparently taken aback at the mood of the legislators and immediately directed CLP leader Pradeep Mathur to take all MLAs to meet the chief minister.