In Lucknow last week, he had sought an appointment with the Vidhan Sabha Speaker, triggering rumours of his likely resignation. The CM immediately summoned the disgruntled MLA and heard him out. He bought peace for a week, assuring the MLA that he would look into the matter.

Associated with the Tiloi royal family, the MLA has charged the Amethi district bureaucracy of ignoring his interests and neglecting development works. He blames a BJP Dalit minister from the district for “diluting” his influence in the area under the tutelage of Union Minister Smriti Irani, who is nurturing the constituency.

After the meeting with the CM, the Tiloi MLA said that he would hold his horses only for a few days. “I have not become MLA for the Rs 1.25 lakh monthly salary. I am here to serve the people. If I fail to do so, there is no point in being their representative”, he told the media.

In another instance, a letter by Barabanki’s BJP MP Priyanka Rawat to the CM, demanding the removal of Barabanki district magistrate, went viral on the social media. She has accused the officer of corruption, neglecting development works and insulting her.

A first-time MP,  Rawat is known for using unparliamentary language against officers. In April this year, she had threatened to “skin” Additional Superintendent of Police (North) K Gyananjay Singh over his reported misconduct. In May, 2014 she was in the newsfor officially appointing her father Uttam Ram as her representative for all government and development works in her constituency. She removed him from the post after she faced bitter criticism.

In July this year, Cabinet Minister and BJP’s alliance partner Om Prakash Rajbhar threatened to quit and stage a dharna if the CM did not remove Ghazipur District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Khatri. The Minister for Backward Classes Welfare and Disabled People’s Development accused the officer of “not addressing 19 issues repeatedly raised by him” on behalf of the people. He was placated by CM Yogi.

It is in this context that UP Chief Secretary Rajive Kumar this month re-issued instructions on the “Protocol for Public Representatives” and threatened disciplinary action against officials who did not show respect to MPs and MLAs.

The state government pointed out that the guidelines had been re-issued a record 17 times during the last 10 years and still the elected representatives continued to complain. While the associations of bureaucrats did not officially react to the directives, there are murmurs against the “arm-twisting” by MLAs and MPs.

Even the social media was flooded with condemnations of the government order, with many pointing out that elected representatives were not equivalent to gods who must be held in reverence.