Over two year long dispute within the first family of the Samajwadi party is likely to end soon as Shivpal Yadav, the warring uncle of the party president Akhilesh Yadav, is likely to be suitably accommodated in the party organisation. He is likely to be appointed as the national general secretary of the party.
SP sources said Shivpal Singh, who nursed grand ambition of floating new political has now fallen in line after his nephew Akhilesh Yadav engineered a coup of sort by entering into an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party leading to victory of the party candidates in by polls to the Gorakhpur and Phulpur lok Sabha seats in March. Shivpal Yadav, sources said recently held long parleys with his cousin and party general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav, to end the family feud. The two brothers agreed to settle all the differences and come together to strengthen the party ahead of 2019 general elections.
After the tension escalated between Akhilesh and Shivpal, the latter was removed from the post of state president in October 2016. Since then both uncle and nephew have been at daggers drawn relations and making public statements against each other. Shivpal Yadav, who is an MlA from Jaswantnagar in Etawah, has never visited the party headquarters in lucknow since Akhilesh has become the party president in January 2017.
There was speculation of Shivpal joining BJP and forming his own political party after SP was ousted from power in March 2017 UP assembly elections. He also claimed support of party's chief patron Mulayam Singh for formation of a front against Akhilesh but he later dropped the ideas following persuasion by his elder brother.
Shivpal also went against the party line and voted for Ram Nath Kovind instead of Meira Kumari in the presidential elections. However, the bitterness between Akhilesh and Shivpal came to an end after the latter voted for Samajwadi Party candidates in Rajya Sabha and legislative council polls . Akhilesh also praised his uncle at a press conference and said, "He will remain in the party. All speculations of any member of our family joining the BJP will prove to be wrong. Our family will always remain united."
Mulayam, who was at loggerheads with Akhilesh over various issues also praised his son for striking an alliance with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati and winning both Gorakhpur and Phulpur lok Sabha by elections.
"Very soon Shivpal will become the national general secretary. It's very important for all of us to unite against the BJP ahead of 2019 elections. The official announcement is expected anytime this month, said SP leaders on the condition of anonymity."
"Both the uncle and nephew were together in the last assembly elections as well. They had a dispute over distribution of wealth amassed from corruption. BSP Supremo Mayawati had also accused Shivpal for the guest house incident and she should clarify her stand over him getting a big position in Samajwadi Party,” said the BJP spokesperson Manish Shukla over speculations of Shivpal's truce with Akhilesh.