The bickering within Samajwafi Party's first family over the merger of Mukhtar Ansari’s Quami Ekta Dal (QED) have come to the fore.
While Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is opposed to the merger, state-in-charge and uncle Shivpal Yadav defended the decision saying the move had the blessings of party patriarch and chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Even as Shivpal Yadav claimed that `there was neither any crisis in the party nor on the merger of the QED with the SP’, the party has convened a meeting of Parliamentary board of the party in lucknow on June 25 to revisit the issue.
SP sources claimed that the sole agenda of the meeting will be the merger of QED with the SP. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will press for rolling back the decision as he is vehemently opposing the merger of QED.
After the CM cancelled all his appointments on Wednesday, uncle Shvipal Yadav rushed to his official bungalow to pacify him. So far the efforts to persuade the CM have proved to be futile.
SP sources also claimed that Shivpal Yadav is also likely to be divested of the post of state-in-charge of the party during the meeting on June 25.
Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav along with his uncle Shivpal Yadav was scheduled to address a press conference in lucknow wehich was cancelled and matter was deferred till June 25.
Meanwhile Shivpal Yadav said that merger decision was taken as per directions from the SP chief and that Balram Yadav had no role in the process.
Shivpal Yadav however feigned ignorance when asked as to `why Balram Yadav was sacked from the cabinet' and chose to say, "It was the prerogative of the Chief Minister to choose his cabinet colleagues.’’
Earlier at afunction in Jaunpur on Monday, the CM had categorically stated that he was against alliance with any party, saying, "Our government has done so much at the ground level for welfare of common people that if our party cadres work sincerely the SP would not need help from any other party."
Meanwhile, sacked Secondary Education minister minister Balram Yadav became emotional on his sacking and said, ``I have no comments to make about my dismissal from the cabinet and it has not impacted me. I have been associated with the SP since its inception and Mulayam Singh Yadav is not merely the president of the party he is like father figure and guardian to me,’’said Balram Yadav.