Akhilesh Yadav will be the chief minister’s face of the Samajwadi party and the party will go to the next assembly election in his leadership.
"let there be no confusion on the chief minister’s face of the party and leadership issue. Akhilesh Yadav is the chief minister’s face of the party. I am ready to give it in writing on the stamp paper that Akhilesh Yadav will be the next chief minister of the state if the Samajwadi party is voted back to power’’, said Shivpal Yadav state president of the party while addressing the marathon meeting of the district presidents of the party here on Friday.
As expected chief minister Akhilesh Yadav skipped the meeting even as he was in the state capital on Friday. SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav was also expected to attend the meeting but he was also conspicuous by his absence.
"If anybody has any doubts over my credentials and my statement then I am even ready to step down from the post of the state president of the party. I will not wait even for a second to resign if the district leaders demand from him.’’ said Shivpal Yadav, adding, "The party is united and there are no differences and all of you close your ranks and devote your time and energy for the success of the silver jubilee foundation day function in the state capital on November 5.
“I will be the first person to propose the name of Akhilesh Yadav for the office of the chief minister if the Samajwadi Party is voted back to power in 2017 state assembly elections" Shivpal Yadav said thrice before the district and city leaders of the party here as he was virtually mobbed by the volley of questions from the district leaders of the party. The district presidents in unanimous voice said," the recent bickering in the party coupled with the confusion on the chief ministers face have caused immense damage to the electoral prospects of the party ahead of the crucial assembly elections.
Addressing the over four hour long meeting, Shivpal Yadav, said that there is no differences within the party and the family and blamed the media for blowing the issue out of proportion." Everything is right in the party and we will form the government," he said while even admitting that if there are some issues they would be resolved soon.
Seeking to downplay the absence of the chief minister Akhilesh Yadav from the daylong meeting Shivpal Yadav said `` I had invited the Chief Minister to attend the meeting but as he was busy in some official work of the government, hence he could not attend’’. Shivpal Yadav did not mention a word about the proposed 'Vikas Rath Yatra' to be taken out by the chief minister from lucknow on November 3.
He also asked the district leaders to bring maximum number of supporters at the foundation day function in lucknow onNovember 5 as it will an important political event for the party before the assembly polls. He also fixed the target of number of people to be brought from each district and also appointed convener of each district to monitor the preparations and mobalisation of the people.
The convener of the silver jubilee function and transport minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati was also present in the meeting. Almost all the district and city leaders were also given opportunity to speak in the meeting.
SP sources here said that almost all the district and city presidents and general secretaries of 95 units attended this meeting barring few who could not come due to illness or some other personal reasons.
Haji Rasheed Khan, district president of Muzaffarnagar said that the deliberations in the meeting centered on the party function of November 5. He said that the November 5 function would be a big rally in lucknow with all the district leaders have been asked to bring as many as people from their region.
Another SP leader and general secretary of Gonda district Pramod Pandey said that the entire meeting revolved on the foundation day function with Shivpal Yadav clarifying that there are differences among the top leaders of the party and the party was united to take the plunge in next assembly elections.
Apprehending trouble and protest demonstration from the youth leaders of the party district administration had made elaborate security arrangements at the state office of the Samajwadi party. The state office of the Samajwadi party was turned into a fortress and none except the invited office bearer of the party were allowed entry in the office. The invitees were frisked before their entry and no one was allowed inside with their mobile phones or any other electronic gadgets.
On Thursday evening after returning from Mahoba Shivpal Yadav had visited the chief minister Akhilesh Yadav at his official to persuade him to attend the meeting of the district presidents on Friday. CM Akhilesh Yadav however demonstrated that he has drawn his own plans for the next elections. All eyes are now fixed on whether Akhilesh Yadav attends the meeting of the state executive of the party here on Saturday.
The ruling party has also convened the meeting of the MlA, MlCs, ex legislators and MPs and the candidates for the 2017 assembly elections and other senior leaders here on October 24. SP sources said CM is likely to skip all the meeting.
Akhilesh Yadav has already announced to launch his election campaign from November 3. He is also expected to skip the silver jubilee function of the party here onNovember 5 at the Janeshwar Mishra Park.
Meanwhile, Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav met the district presidents of the party at his official residence. In brief interaction with the district leaders of the party chief minister enquired about the political environment in their respective districts and the electoral prospects of the party.