The feud within UP’s ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) remained unresolved two days after the ball was set rolling by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who started by sacking two ministers and ended by stripping minister Shivpal Yadav of four portfolios.
To end the stalemate, Mulayam has called the SP’s parliamentary board meeting on September 16.
At the same time, denying that Mulayam has called a parliamentary party meeting on September 16, Ram Gopal Yadav, uncle of Akhilesh, said, “It’s mere gossip, who said there’s a parliamentary board meeting? I am the board secretary. The board only meets when we have to discuss issues of giving out tickets, nominating people to the Rajya Sabha or when a party member has to be expelled.”
Soon after he was divested of four important portfolios, an enraged Shivpal Yadav rushed to Delhi to meet elder brother and SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav to express that he could not work under Akhilesh Yadav. Emerging after a four-hour meeting with Mulayam, Shivpal said, “Neither I nor Netaji (Mulayam) is angry. We all are happy… There are no differences.”
A day after he was sacked as party chief and his uncle Shivpal Yadav was given the charge, Akhilesh, making it clear that it was not a family fight but a political one, said if ‘outsiders’ interfere in family matters, how can one tolerate it? Everyone listens to Netaji.
SP Rajya Sabha member Amar Singh (he and Akhilesh do not see eye to eye) has denied that he was the “outsider” and that he had anything to do with the crisis.
With this move, Akhilesh has ended the interference both in government and organisation over the past four years from his family. With six months remaining for the Assembly polls, Akhilesh knows well that the party cannot survive without him. Although Shivpal remains the darling of the party workers, he too knows that neither he or Mulayam can be the CM candidate now.
Meanwhile, Akhilesh was learnt to have stopped all communication with his father and uncle.
