Clamour is growing within the Samajwadi Party for action against Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh, seen as the key person behind the recent crisis gripping the party leading to removal of Akhilesh Yadav as state SP chief and Shivpal Yadav being divested of his important portfolios.
The Samawjadi Party first family will meet in lucknow on Saturday to decide the fate of Amar Singh. SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav will also attend the meeting. The meeting will discuss the issues that triggered the dispute between the Chief Minister and his uncle Shivpal Yadav.
Speaking to a TV channel, the CM stressed, ``Beech wale agar beech mein aayange, to beech se hata diye jayange’’ (if the middlemen come in between us, then he will be removed).
SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav had said in lucknow on Thursday, ``There was a conspiracy to destabilise and weaken Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and the party ahead of the crucial Assembly polls which has been thwarted.’’
Without naming Amar Singh, the SP leader said, ``There is one leader who claims that he is not 'Samajwadi' but 'Mulayam- wadi'. He cares little for the party. For him, the party may go to hell and he could go to any extent for his self interest’’.
Asked whether Singh was trying tom mount pressure on the CM for his political ends, Ram Gopal Yadav said, ``Akhilesh is a strong leader and uses his discretion before taking any decision. None other than party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav can get anything done under pressure from him.’’
Dropping a clear hint that the SP's patience with Amar Singh was thinning out, Ram Gopal said, ``If he fails to reform himself, then the Samajwadi Party cadre will decide his fate in the party.’’
The SP brass is already unhappy with Amar Singh for his unbridled criticism of the party, CM Akhilesh Yadav and senior leader Ram Gopal Yadav in August and even sumpathised with Shivpal Yadav.
In an interview to a TV channel on August 22, Singh had threatened to resign from the Rajya Sabha and expressed his displeasure with the CM and SP leader in Rajya Sabha Ram Gopal Yadav.
``It was not an off the cuff statement but a well calibrated interview to convey a message to the party brass. Singh is yet to reconcile with his position in the party. The leadership has interpreted this as an attempt to meddle in the feud within the SP's first family,’’ said a senior SP leader.