How would you react if the chief minister of your state gifts you a house on Diwali? Ask Maniram who will remember this year’s festival of lights throughout his life.
A rickshaw puller by profession, Lucknow-based Maniram also received cash worth Rs 6,000 besides an e-rickshaw from Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav when he ferried a customer to the latter’s residence.
The customer was none other than Vijay Shekhar Sharma, CEO, Paytm, who was travelling to 5, Kalidas Marg, the CM’s official residence. Midway through the journey, his car got stuck in traffic. Sharma asked Maniram to ferry him to the chief minister’s house.
Little did the poor rickshaw-puller know that his life would change in a fraction of minute, Dainik Bhaskar reported. He led Sharma to Kalidas Marg and stopped outside the gate. However, the business tycoon asked him to take him inside the gate. He also asked Maniram to see him off inside the house. The security guards did not let him inside, before Akhilesh intervened.
He had a long chat with Maniram and enquired about his family and livelihood. As a parting gift, the chief minister gifted him a house in Lucknow. He also tweeted a picture of him with Sharma and Maniram, assuring people that the Lucknow Metro will soon ease traffic woes for the commuters in the state capital.
A traffic jam forced Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma to visit us in a cycle rickshaw. Lucknow Metro will help solve the traffic jams in city. pic.twitter.com/SDzZy0mjMX
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) October 27, 2016
Akhilesh has been entrapped in a bitter feud with his uncle Shivpal Yadav. Despite his overwhelming appeal with the masses, his father and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav chose to side with Shivpal and ‘all-weather friend’ Amar Singh.
