With the rift within the Yadav family becoming wider after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav skipped an important meeting called by his uncle and SP president, Shivpal Yadav to formalise strategies for polls next year, the Congress on Saturday said the discord within the family is affecting governance in the state and has asked the party to focus on the welfare of the people.
SP, the party in power, is not doing anything fruitful for people. It is unfortunate that the party which should have been spending their time working for the people, is instead engrossed in a family feud.PL Punia, Congress leader
Akhilesh, however, met the members separately at his residence after their meeting ended with Shivpal on Friday at the party headquarters. At the brief meeting, Akhilesh apprised them of his 'rath yatra' scheduled from 3 November and said that they would be kept informed about it.
SP MLC Udayveer Singh Removed From the Party
Samajwadi Party MLC Udayveer Singh has been removed from the party for 6 years. Udayveer Singh, who is considered close to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, had accused Mulayam Singh's second wife Sadhna of harbouring ill feeling towards her stepson (Akhilesh).
In a letter to Mulayam, Udayveer allegedly accused Sadhna and Shivpal Yadav (the state party chief and a brother of Mulayam Singh) of subjecting Akhilesh to black magic with an intention of harming him. He added that Shivpal and SP supremo Mulayam Singh, was jealous of the Chief Minister's popularity.
Akhilesh’s sheltering of Udayveer upset Mulayam as the party headed towards a possible split.
Shivpal Declares Nephew as Party’s CM Candidate
Shivpal had convened a meeting of SP district and city units presidents at the party headquarters earlier in the day but Akhilesh was conspicuous by his absence.
At the strategy session for the assembly polls due early next year, Shivpal, apparently seeking to bury the hatchet, declared nephew Akhilesh the party's chief ministerial face.
Akhilesh Yadav will be the next CM, if party is voted to power. He will be our CM candidate.
Shivpal said, days after Mulayam virtually left the field open by saying the newly elected legislators will choose their leader, something which did not go down well with the camp followers of the incumbent CM.
Akhilesh Snubs Shivpal
Though Shivpal, the younger brother of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, had met Akhilesh personally last night to invite him to the meeting, the Chief Minister kept away, indicating all was not well in the party despite repeated protestations by its senior leaders to the contrary.
After the meeting was over, a cryptic message went out from 5-Kalidas Marg residence of the Chief Minister that Akhilesh wanted to meet the district party presidents at a short notice.
At the brief meeting, Akhilesh apprised them of his 'rath yatra' scheduled from 3 November and said that they would be kept informed about it.
He asked them to work hard in their respective areas to reap a bumper electoral harvest and “everything will be fine”.
The meeting of SP district heads was held a day ahead of the party' state executive meet. Mulayam has also convened a meeting of party legislators and ministers on 24 October to “gauge the mood” of partymen and people of their area.
Shivpal asked the district party chiefs to gear up for elections and also to make the party's silver jubilee celebrations on 5 November in the state capital a big success.
Akhilesh, with whom Shivpal is engaged in a running feud over the last few months, has already made it clear in a letter to the Samajwadi Party boss and his father Mulayam that he would be proceeding on his 'rath yatra' on 3 November to highlight the development work done by his government, in a clear indication that he would skip the 5 November event too.
With the tense stand-off between Akhilesh and Shivpal continuing, speculation about a possible split is rife with some even suggesting that a new party named National Samajwadi Party or Pragatisheel Samajwadi party with motorcycle as its symbol could be formed by the Chief Minister ahead of the assembly elections.
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