Seek no favours from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, PM Modi tells UP MPs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also categorically conveyed to party MPs that they should refrain from approaching Adityanath or anybody else for transfers and postings of officials. Photo: PTI (File)

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday instructed BJP MPs from Uttar Pradesh to refrain from seeking favours from Chief Minister Adityanath Yogi in transfers and postings of officials, saying his administration should be allowed to focus solely on delivering good governance. Meeting the MPs over breakfast, Modi thanked them for working hard in ensuring BJP's resounding victory in the UP assembly polls and asked them to work with party MLAs as a team to transform the state. "Modiji said that the party's MPs and MLAs from the state need to work as a team. The Prime Minister also made it clear that we have been given mandate to work hard but not to enjoy," an MP present in the meeting said. The Prime Minister also categorically conveyed to party MPs that they should refrain from approaching Adityanath or anybody else for transfers and postings of officials, another MP said. The PM said the party has got a huge mandate to serve the people and wants to give them corruption-free government, the MP said. Modi on Thursday called a meeting of the MPs over breakfast at his residence which was also attended by BJP President Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar and senior party leader Murli Manohar Joshi. Congratulating the party MPs for BJP's massive victory in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Modi asked the MPs not to become complacent and continue to work to strengthen the party, adding that there should be all around development which is visible to the people, the BJP said in a statement later. Emphasising that the BJP has regained power in the state after 15 long years, Modi said both the party and the state government would work with all its strength to transform Uttar Pradesh into a fully developed state. "We need to transform Uttar Pradesh from a 'Bimaru' state to a fully developed one." The government should be able to fulfil expectations of the people by ensuring a corruption-free government in the state, he told MPs. This was PM Modi's first meeting with the BJP MPs from Uttar Pradesh after the party's victory in the state assembly election. In coming days, Modi is scheduled to held five more such informal meetings with party MPs from different regions.