Against the backdrop of fresh escalation of slugfest in the Samajwadi Party (SP) following the sacking of Shivpal Yadav and three of his close aides from the Akhilesh Yadav’s Cabinet on Sunday, the Monday meeting of the SP MlAs, which will be presided over by SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and likely to be attended by Akhilesh, is set to be D-day for the party. As has become the new norm in the SP in last three meetings in last three days, no participants will be allowed to carry their mobile phones or any other electronic gadget inside the meeting hall.
Till now, Akhilesh has refused to attend the party meetings presided over by Shivpal. He had abstained from the SP district presidents’ meet on October 21 and State SP Executive meet on October 22.
Sources in the SP said both Akhilesh and Shivpal’s camps are prepared for any eventuality. In the event of “undue criticism” of the CM at the meeting, a group of MlAs and MlCs close to Akhilesh will respond to it. “It has been left to the discretion of the young legislators as to how to deal with the situation,’’ said an MlA close to the CM.
“After the expulsion of Ram Gopal Yadav, it is widely believed that Mulayam Singh Yadav will crack the whip and go to the extent of taking up the reins of the Government. But it’s an exaggeration, don’t link it with the Ram Gopal episode,’’ said a Minister, adding, “There is little possibility of the party attempting to choose a new leader in place of Akhilesh Yadav.”
Mulayam is visibly shaken by the fast pace of events on Sunday when Akhilesh dismissed four Ministers from the Council of Ministers without his consent. Sources said Mulayam, following the persuasion of the old guards, had relented and agreed to revoke the expulsion of the youth leaders, better known as “Team Akhilesh”, provided they tendered an unconditional written apology. However, the Sunday morning’s letter of Ram Gopal and the sacking of four Ministers by Akhilesh Yadav dented the goodwill created by the efforts of the old guard. Now all eyes are on the Monday meeting of SP MlAs.
Earlier in the day, Akhilesh dealt a severe blow to his uncle Shivpal by removing him and three of his aides — Narad Rai, Om Prakash Singh, and Minister of State (independent charge) Shadab Fatima — from his Cabinet. The CM took the step after a meeting with State MlAs and MlCs at his official residence in lucknow. The meeting lasted for less than an hour. Shivpal and some MlAs loyal to him were not invited. The MlAs, who attended the meeting, said they were told by the CM that anybody close to Amar Singh had no place in his Cabinet.
Akhilesh also dismissed former cine star Jaya Prada, a confidante of Amar Singh, from the post of the vice-chairperson of the UP Film Development Council.
The CM met Mulayam at his residence before taking the decision to expel Shivpal and his aides.
Addressing SP MlAs at his residence, Akhilesh hit out at Amar Singh, described him as a “dalal”. During the speech, Akhilesh got emotional and said, “Mulayam Singh Yadav is my leader and my father and I have high respect for him. I have always followed him and will continue to follow him but I will never accept any outsider between the father and the son.”
“I will never involve myself in an activity which can hurt my father; but I am hurt by the incidents which forced me to leave the house and stay away with my wife at the CM residence,” said Akhilesh.
“Ever since Amar Singh rejoined the party and was elected to the Rajya Sabha, the party is facing problems. All those having proximity with Amar Singh will not be spared,” said the CM.
He also scotched the rumours of splitting the party. “Splitting the party is not even in my wildest imaginations. I will never leave the party unless thrown out of it. I will do anything to strengthen the party, but whoever tries to damage us and create dispute would not be spared,” he said.