Adopting a confrontationist position with the Election Commission, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Wednesday brought back the state's Principal Secretary of Home Fateh Bahadur Singh to another important post, a day after he was removed by the poll body.
Bahadur's new appointment as Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister came within hours after the BSP supremo slammed the EC for transferring him ahead of the polls accusing it of political bias and warned such "unjustified" action would lead to law and order problems or terror attacks.
"Bahadur has been appointed as new Principal Secretary to the CM", Secretary Home Mahesh Kumar Gupta told reporters in Lucknow. Bahadur was removed from the crucial post on Tuesday by the EC following complaints from the Opposition. Earlier in the day, Mayawati said, "Removal of the officer just due to political reasons on the basis of their baseless allegation will demoralise officers of the state due to which law and order problem can erupt.EC will be responsible if there is any terrorist or naxal problem or anything happens to me or any other leader during campaigning," she added.
The EC declined to comment on Mayawati's criticism. "We have no comment to make. The Commission does not want to give any comment on it," Deputy Election Commissioner R Balakrishnan said in Delhi when asked for EC response. Mayawati said, "Ordering removal of an important officer like principal secretary home, who is discharging his duties with honesty and dedication merely on the basis of baseless complaints lodged by the opposition parties is not justified."
