Avoiding an open confrontation with Mohammad Azam Khan, who is considered to be the Muslim mascot of Samajwadi Party, Mulayam Singh Yadav offered an olive branch to him saying "all is well in the party" and there is no love lost between the two of them.
"Things will become normal. Please do not complicate the issue any more. We are old associates and know each other very well," the SP supremo said while addressing newsmen after the conclusion of party's national executive meeting here on Thursday.
The statement came after senior party leaders, including Mulayam's cousin and party general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav had said that a senior leader should not forget his 'maryada' and should conduct in public accordingly. He had even suggested that if Azam Khan did not want to be a member of the party's national executive, he should quit the post.
Prof Yadav got support from another national general secretary of the party, Naresh Agarwal, who also echoed similar sentiments.
Another prominent Muslim leader, Abu Asim Azmi, went a step further and said that "no one felt the absence of Azam Khan in the executive meet".The statements of the SP leaders came when the party was trying to salvage its image post Muzaffarnagar riots in which over 40 people have lost their lives. Many Muslim organisations have demanded action against the state Government for its failure to control the riots. The absence of Khan from the national executive meet added fuel to fire.
Sources in the party said that many leaders openly questioned Khan's absence in the national executive meet and even asked "whether he had become a super chief minister".Mulayam Singh Yadav tried to play down the issue. "Everyone has a right to air his view in the party forum and this should not be taken as an attack on any leader," he said. "Please do not read politics in these statements. Everything is okay.
All is well in the party," he added.Yadav said that Samajwadi Party was a democratic party and very leader had the right to air his or her view. "So what if someone questioned Azam Khan's absenceIJ" he asked.The SP chief expressed grief and shock over Muzaffarnagar riots and said it was a great education for Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. "He should not allow it to recur in future," he added.Mulayam Singh Yadav announced that he would go to Muzaffarnagar along with Akhilesh Yadav to take stock of the relief measures there.
"This is the time to provide relief to the victims. Politics on this issue should not be encouraged," he said.When asked about the resentment in the minority community in the wake of Muzaffarnagar riots, the SP chief admitted it concerned him too. Referring to Congress demand for Akhilesh's resignation, he said it was a political demand and had no meaning.The SP supremo rubbished reports that some people want to turn UP into Gujarat. "In Gujarat, justice was denied but in UP, everyone will get justice," he said.
Yadav also ruled out efforts to forge a third front before the lok Sabha election, saying it would create rift over allocation of seats."Third front will take shape after the election and form its government at the Centre," he added.In reply to a question, Mulayam Singh Yadav said the Samajwadi Party would field candidates against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in Rae Bareli and Amethi respectively as the Congress had also done it against him.With regards to national executive of the party, the SP chief asserted that the meeting discussed and decided not to change any candidate already announced for the lok Sabha election.
He said an-charges would be appointed in each parliamentary constituency to keep an eye over the management of election.Chief Minister and SP state president Akhilesh Yadav, who was present on the occasion, said the state Government had already given Rs 15 lakh to the next of kin of journalist Rajesh Verma who was killed in the Muzaffarnagar riot. "If there is demand, more financial help will be given to the family," he added.