While Mulayam Singh Yadav counts his achievements of three years in office, others are counting the days to the elections early next year, perhaps even thinking wistfully of life three years ago. Not that they want Mayawati back but they feel life in her time was better. Power, corruption and infrastructure are all problems but worst of all is the law and order situation.

Though Uttar Pradesh has never been known for efficient rule of law, the last three years have redefined the traditional meaning of the phrase as measured in the number of murders, rapes and robberies (the Meher Bhargava case brought this trend to the national headlines). And the twist in the current context is the linking of many such incidents with Mulayam’s Samajwadi Party.

Indeed, it is not inaccurate to say that there is a certain state of anarchy among the SP cadres, which suggests Mulayam’s loosening grip on his party.

Two months ago, Assistant Superintendent of Police Rajesh Sahni was carrying out a routine documents check on vehicles in Lucknow when he came upon five youngsters sitting in a Sumo. They flaunted their SP connections and tried to drive off. Sahni stood in front of the vehicle but, when they drove towards him at full speed, he had no option but to jump on to the bonnet. They drove for two kilometres, with him clinging on, in full public view before dumping him in front of the office of the Senior Superintendent of Police.

This is the situation in Lucknow, within a few kilometres from Mulayam’s office. Things in other towns, forget villages, are infinitely worse. They are too many to be called isolated and too frequent to be seen independently of the way the government functions. The Chief Minister has often been heard in recent days asking the rank and file to behave, but obviously not to much effect.

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