UP students get free laptops from Akhilesh

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav Monday kick-started the distribution of laptops to college students -- in line with his Samajwadi Party's election promise. Of the 9,935 laptops meant to be given away, Yadav presented 51 to select students here to mark one year of the Samajwadi Party government. At a function at the Colvin Taluqdars College, the chief minister, accompanied by many of his cabinet colleagues, distributed the laptops to the beneficiaries. A visibly elated chief minister said: "I have been brought up with sad stories about Uttar Pradesh but I am sure the perception about the state will change from now on." He added that very soon students from across the state who are eligible would get free laptops. He used the event to attack the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for demeaning the laptop scheme. The next phase of distributing 5,000 laptops would take place at Mainpuri, the parliamentary constituency of Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, officials said.