SP Split Ahead As Mulayam Expels Akhilesh, Ram Gopal For 6 Years
Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh rebelled against father by releasing his own list of 235 candidates for the 2017 polls.
- Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh expels Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav and party General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav for six years
- Akhilesh’s supporters raise slogans against Mulayam
- Mulayam says he will decide the next chief ministerial face of the party
- The expulsion comes a day after Akhilesh issues a parallel list of 235 candidates for UP polls
Samajwadi Party Spokesperson Resigns
Adding to the drama, spokesperson of the Samajwadi Party Juhi Singh resigned late on Friday to protest the removal of Akhilesh Yadav from the party.
Mulayam Should Explain Why He Imposed Akhilesh on UP After 2012 Polls: BJP
Soon after Akhilesh was expelled for six years from the party, BJP questioned Mulayam and said that Mulayam Singh should now answer as to why he "betrayed" the state by imposing his son after 2012 polls.
Another prominent face for the BJP government in UP, Yogi Adityanath asked for the resignation of the chief minister saying that Akhilesh should resign immediately on moral grounds.
Shivpal Issues Warning
Toughening its stand against the expelled duo of Ram Gopal and Akhilesh, the Samajwadi Party on Friday warned members and leaders of the party to stay away from the "emergency national convention" called by the former.
In a letter to party leaders, the party's Uttar Pradesh chief Shivpal Singh Yadav said the convention was unconstitutional and that they should not travel to the state capital for it or sign any papers with regard to it. He went on to state that anyone from the party who would be participating in the meeting will be considered as working against the party and will face action.
Akhilesh’s Supporters Raise Slogans Against Mulayam
Soon after Akhilesh was on Friday expelled from the Samajwadi Party, a group of his supporters gathered outside his 5, Kalidas Marg, residence here and raised slogans.
Accusing Mulayam Singh of doing "injustice" by expelling Akhilesh and his (Mulayam's) cousin Ram Gopal, which was announced at a hurriedly convened presser in the state capital by the former Defence Minister, the supporters waved banners and posters with pictures of the Chief Minister.
‘Akhilesh Using Government Machinery to Sabotage Party’
Using strong language, Mulayam Singh hit out at the Akhilesh camp, adding that the CM is using government machinery to sabotage the party.
Constitutional Crisis In UP: Likely Scenarios
- If Akhilesh does not step down as the CM, a floor test is imminent.
- Akhilesh Yadav may go for a floor test to remain as CM and try to prove support of 203 MLAs.
- Akhilesh Yadav may get support from the Congress and RLD during the floor test.
- Samajwadi Party MLAs may elect another leader and Akhilesh will not remain as the CM.
- Rule of disqualification won’t be applicable in case the leader elected by the Samajwadi Party MLAs fail to prove majority on the floor of the house.
- Governor Ram Naik may recommend President’s Rule
Our Expulsion is Unconstitutional: Ram Gopal Yadav
Expelled Samajwadi Party General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav on Thursday dubbed the action against him "unconstitutional" as it was taken unilaterally.
"The action taken against me is unconstitutional. He (party President Mulayam Singh Yadav) acted even before we could respond to the showcause notice," he told the media, soon after he and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav were expelled from the party for six years by Mulayam Singh.
Ram Gopal Yadav also said that calling a meeting of the National Convention by him was as per the party constitution and was inevitable as some of the people at the top "had been indulging in unconstitutional work".
"If party President indulges in unconstitutional acts, then we are left with no option but to call the National Council meeting. I have called the National Council meeting against the unconstitutional activities of the top leaders on demand of the party delegates.
"All the activities undertaken by the top leadership were unconstitutional, including ticket distribution. When President of the party works unconstitutionally, I have all the right as General Secretary of the party to call the meeting," he added.
He also urged party members to attend the convention called by him on 1 January .
‘I Will Decide the Next Chief Ministerial Face’
Making his stance clear, the Samajwadi supremo said that it will be him and no one else who decides the Chief Ministerial face for the party. He further added:
Akhilesh, Ram Gopal Out
In a tough action, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Friday expelled his son and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav as well as general secretary Ramgopal Yadav from the party for six years for "gross indiscipline", a decision that will lead to a political crisis in Uttar Pradesh.
Making the announcement at a press conference here, Mulayam said the new Chief Minister will be chosen by the Samajwadi Party.
Flanked by brother Shivpal Yadav, who has been at loggerheads with the Chief Minister, Mulayam said he had taken the action against Akhilesh and Ramgopal to save the party which he said he had built through hard efforts.
Mulayam Calls For Press Conference
Mulayam Singh Yadav calls a press conference in Lucknow right after he issued a showcause notice to Akhilesh and Ram Gopal Yadav.
In a surprising move, he suspends both Akhilesh and Ram Gopal from the party for six years for indiscipline.
He further adds that Akhilesh is ending his political career by siding with Ram Gopal.
Ram Gopal Yadav Calls For SP’s National Executive Meet on 1 January
In a move that is sure to widen the rift within the Samajwadi Party, and bring it closer to the brink of splitting, Ram Gopal Yadav on Friday issued a statement calling for an emergency national executive meet of the party on 1 January. He urged the party members to join the meet in the party's favour.
Mulayam Issues Notice to Akhilesh, Ram Gopal Yadav
Reacting to the open defiance of his orders, the party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav has issued show-cause notice to the Uttar Pradesh CM and the party’s general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav for issuing a new list of 235 members on Thursday.
Akhilesh Calls Supporters for a Meeting on 1 January
In what looks to be a tit-for-tat move, Akhilesh Yadav has called for a meeting with supporters on 1 January at his residence.
Azad Does Not Rule out Possibility of Alliance in Up
Amid contradictory stand of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh on forging an alliance with Congress in Uttar Pradesh, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad today said the possibility could not be ruled out.
SP Split Inevitable?
Speaking to the media, close aide of UP CM Ram Gopal Yadav said on Friday that a truce between the two warring factions within the Samajwadi Party looks difficult after the infighting took an ugly turn on Thursday. Speaking to the media he said:
Mulayam Singh Calls for Candidates’ Meet on 31 Dec
With SP facing a rebellion from Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav over ticket distribution, its supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav has called a meeting of all the candidates allotted tickets amid hectic efforts to stave off a possible split in the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh.
News emerged on Friday that Mulayam Singh has called for a meeting of all UP Assembly elections candidates on 31 December at party office in Lucknow.
Samajwadi Party Leaders Go Into Huddle
A core group meeting of the party leaders will be held at the CM’s residence on Kalidas Marg on Friday.
SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav reaches Mulayam Singh’s residence for a meeting.
Azam Khan Asks SP Leaders To Resolve Their Differences
Calling the feud “unfortunate,” senior SP leader Azam Khan said that it makes him “upset”.
It is important for the senior party leaders to resolve their differences and “protect the party and socialism,” Khan told News18. The debate over the next Chief Minister should not be the priority right now, Khan said.
He also hinted at a conspiracy at work.
How the Rift Unfolded
Akhilesh Yadav upped the ante on Thursday evening after his father Mulayam Singh Yadav recently snubbed him during the announcement of candidates ahead of the Assembly elections.
- On Wednesday, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav announced 325 of 403 candidates in the CM’s absence. Both UP SP chief Shivpal and Akhilesh had recommended their own lists of names.
- Mulayam left out pro-Akhilesh Ministers and MLAs from his final list, which included Arvind Singh 'Gop', Ram Govind Chaudhary and Pawan Pandey.
- A “tilt” towards his brother Shivpal was visible after Mulayam picked 149 names from his list for the seats the party lost in the 2011 state polls .
- The party patriarch even ruled out the possibility of an alliance with the Congress, which his CM son was keen on and did not name Akhilesh as the chief ministerial candidate.
- In a tit-for-tat move, Akhilesh sacked advisor to UP Housing Development Council Surabhi Shukla and her husband Sandeep who are close to his uncle Shivpal Yadav.
A detailed meeting was held at Mulayam’s residence on Thursday, where Akhilesh reportedly also conveyed the grievances of the left-out party members. It seems not much was resolved, because Akhilesh then released his own listicle of candidates.
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