In his first major decision after taking over as naional Samajwadi Party president, Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday, revoked suspension of five MlCs and youth leaders who were expelled by former state SP chief Shivpal Yadav in September last year. Orders revoking their suspension were issued by state SP chief Naresh Uttam in lucknow on Wednesday. .
The leaders whose expulsion was revoked include MlCs Anand Bhadauria, Sunil Yadav, Sanjay lathar, Arvind Yadav and Udaivir Singh. The other leaders who were taken back are former Mulayam Singh Youth Brigade leaders Gaurav Dubey and Mohammed Ebaad, Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha state chief Brijesh Yadav and Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha leader Digvijay Singh.
The expulsion of these leaders, all staunch Akhilesh loyalists, had been done after they raised the banner of revolt against the party brass when Shivpal Yadav was appointed state president.
The SP youth leaders were expelled after Mulayam Singh screened video footage of these leaders demonstrating outside his house and gave his nod. This was the first time that party leaders had challenged the SP patriarch’s authority.
The move had triggered off a war within the family and party that escalated leading to events in which Mulayam Singh was deposed from the post of party president by Chief Minister Akhiesh Yadav.
On Wednesday on the instruction of Akhilesh Yadav, MlC Arvind Yadav was appinted as office secretary of the party. Arvind is the nephew of Rajya Sabha MP Ram Gopal Yadav and was expelled from the party by Shivpal Yadav in September last year.
The expelled MlCs had met the then SP chief Mulayam Singh in December and submitted unconditional apology. Mulayam had then asked them to continue working for the party but their expulsion was not revoked. However, these leaders and their followers, have been supporting CM Akhilesh Yadav during the recent intra-party crisis.
Meanwhile, CM Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday finalized his list of candidates. Those candidates perceived to be Shivpal loyalists and those with criminal backgrounds, were being purged. Akhilesh’s list reportedly does not include Aman Mani Tripathi who is charged with the murder of his wife Sara Singh, Atiq Ahmad and the Ansari brothers.
However, controversial minister Gayatri Prajapati, who had earlier been sacked on corruption charges, is being retained in the Akhilesh list.
SP MlA from Etah Ashish Yadav was likely to be denied ticket by the Akhilesh Yadav for levelling charges of corruption against Ram Gopal Yadav and patronizing liquor and land mafia. He is the son of Chairman of the UP legislative Council Ramesh Yadav.