Amar Singh takes credit for success of Akhilesh Yadav

New Delhi, Mar 12 (ANI): With Akhilesh Yadav all set to take over as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Rashtriya Lok Manch chief Amar Singh on Monday took credit for the former's success, saying his elevation as president of the Samajwadi Party's state unit would not have been possible without his support.

Singh said several old leaders in the Samajwadi Party were opposed to this idea.

"It is a candid self admission during hectic election campaign on TV cameras, public acceptance of Mulayam Singh Yadav that Akhilesh Yadav's elevation as president of Samajwadi Party's U.P. state unit would not have been possible without my proposed active support and campaign. Old guards in the party, who were opposed to me, they opposed his elevation as well," he said.

Akhilesh was on Saturday named the new chief minister of Uttar Pradesh by his party's lawmakers after the SP routed all its rivals in the recently concluded state assembly elections, clinching 224 of 403 seats in the state assembly.

At 38, he will become the youngest chief minister of Uttar Pradesh after taking oath of office on March 15.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay clarified that there was no harm in attending the swearing-in-ceremonies functions by West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee.

"If a state government calls leaders of other parties in their oath swearing ceremony, then I don't think there is anything wrong in attending that function," he said.

The Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh and Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab have invited Banerjee, the UPA' most troublesome ally at the Centre, to attend the swearing-in of their respective governments.

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's son Akhilesh Yadav, who played a major role in his party's victory in the recently concluded Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, will be sworn in as the chief minister on March 15.

Parkash Singh Badal will be sworn in as the chief minister of Punjab on March 14.he SAD-BJP combine returned to power in Punjab by defying the expected anti-incumbency factor. (ANI)