Lucknow, Sep 15: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav Saturday announced his Samajwadi Party's (SP) opposition to foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail and said "under no circumstances" would the party allow these retail outlets to open shop in Uttar Pradesh.
"We have always opposed the move and would continue to do so," the chief minister told reporters at a press conference held here to mark his six months in office.
He would not speculate on the timing of the Lok Sabha elections, Yadav said when asked about the possibility of mid-term polls in the country following the 72-hour Trinamool Congress ultimatum Friday to the UPA government over diesel price hike and FDI in multi-brand retail.
He added that the SP was prepared for the polls.
On whether or not the SP will continue its support to the Manmohan Singh government, specially as arch rival Mayawati has announced review of her Bahujan Samaj Party's support, the 39-year-old chief minister said this would be decided by the SP's national leadership.
"This decision wrests with Neta-ji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) and other leaders," he added.
Speaking on his six months in office, Akhilesh Yadav said in a short span the state government has taken some serious initiatives to bring back to track the social and economic situation in the state.
"The previous government had left behind lawlessness, plethora of problems, empty coffers and a directionless bureaucracy," he said and added that in the last six months a lot has been done in the field of agriculture, industry, irrigation and infrastructure.
He also admitted that the law and order in the state was something about which he was still worried.
"The police is a bigda hua mahakma (disturbed set-up)," he said but assured people that soon results will be for all to see.
Akhilesh Yadav also announced that from now on farmers in the state will get free irrigation water from state canals and pumps.
"We are aware of our responsibilities and we will fulfill them at all costs," he said.
He also pointed out how the SP was the only party which was following its election manifesto after being voted to power.
Asked to comment on the zero given to him by his predecessor Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav smiled and said she is in opposition and so nothing better was expected of her.
He also announced that all state accredited journalists would get free medical treatment at the Sanjay Gandhi Post-graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow.
