The first skirmish was over power. When Chief Minister Mayawati publicly blamed the Central Government for neglecting Uttar Pradesh’s power sector, Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde responded by reminding the CM that constitutionally, it was the state government that was responsible for developing the power sector in the state. Then last week, media reports said Shinde had written to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to take action against a state official who allegedly kept portraits of the UP CM in his office. But it did not turn out to the second tranche of animosities. “No, I have not written any such letter.(and you can) quote me on that,” he said, adding that if there was a problem, “I say it openly.this is not my style”. The irritated minister says he has asked for an “investigation” into his alleged letter to the Delhi CM.
