M A I N   N E W S

PC woos Akhilesh with Central funds
Anita Katyal/TNS

New Delhi, March 29
Finance Minister P Chidambaram today reached out to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and promised more Central funds to the state. Chidambaram was closeted in a meeting with Akhilesh in Lucknow for nearly 40 minutes this morning where the two discussed development projects and means to expedite these in the state.

While the Chief Minister complained about the delay in the sanction of funds for Centrally-aided schemes, the Finance Minister assured him of looking into his grievances.

Later, inaugurating 300 bank branches at a function in the state capital, Chidambaram said the Centre was aware of the financial needs of Uttar Pradesh and would extend all possible assistance to the state for development works.

“I assure SP president Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) that the UPA is committed to the development of the state,” he said, adding that he had invited Akhilesh to Delhi for further discussions on his proposals.

Chidambaram’s olive branch to the father-son duo helped cool down tempers on both sides as Congress-SP relations had hit a new low in recent days with both sides engaged in a slanging match.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has admitted to the vulnerability of coalition governments. After the Trinamool Congress and the DMK withdrew support to the UPA government, the ruling combine is critically dependent on the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

UPA sources said the SP leader’s diatribe against the Congress was provoked by reports that the UPA government was wooing Janata Dal (U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with a hefty financial package and the grant of special status for the state.