Major parties keep away from Ponty Chadha tragedy

Despite the strong relationship they shared with deceased liquor baron Gurdeep Singh Chadha alias Ponty Chadha, major political parties in Uttar Pradesh refrained from visiting the bereaved family. Ponty and brother Hardeep died in a shootout at a Delhi farmhouse on Saturday.

Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh Yadav issued a statement more than 24 hours after the incident, expressing grief over the sudden and shocking demise of the brothers. Ponty got a strong foothold in Uttar Pradesh during the regimes of Samajwadi Party and the BSP. He could expand his business empire in the state with their support. It was strange to note that none from the BSP expressed condolences.

Though the acceptance Ponty had in the parties had sparked problems in their inner circles, none dared to speak against him, except a few.  On November 2, Samajwadi Party MLA from Lucknow, Sharda Prashad Shukla had written a letter to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav demanding an inquiry into “panjiri scam”( nutrition) of the BSP regime. Shukla told Express that he had information that during the BSP regime, there was a ` 10,000-crore scam in the distribution of nutrition  to the children of the primary schools.  But, said the MLA, the benefit did not reach the schools and so  either the CBI or the EOW should probe the scam. He alleged that the contract was given to Ponty’s firm. Shukla did not receive any reply from the CM.