Evan as Akhilesh Yadav remains in firm control of Samajwadi Party, there is no let up in the internecine battle within SP’s first family to marginalize those refusing to fall in line. The latest on the line of fire Akhilesh’ cousin and MP from Badaun Dharmendra Yadav.
Samajwadi Party members of Mainspuri district panchyat have given a memorandum to District Magistrate for removal of district chairman Sandhya Yadav - Dharmendra’s sister. Signed by 23 district panchyat members, the memorandum was submitted to the DM to decide further course of action.
Trusted aide of SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav and SP legislator from Mainpuri Raj Kumar Yadav is spearheading the campaign to topple Sandhya Yadav.
Party sources said that the move in Mainpuri is in retaliation of a no confidence motion moved by SP members of district panchyat against chairman of Ferozabad district panchayat. Chairman of Ferozabad district panchayat Vijay Pratap Yadav is the son of SP MlA from Sirsaganj (Ferozabad) Hariom Yadav. Hariom Yadav is is close relation of SP president Akhilesh Yadav.
Beleagured Sandhya Yadav’s husband Anujesh Yadav said, “Ram Gopal Yadav is behind the no-confidence move to topple the district panchayat chairman of Mainpuri. He had asked my wife to resign from the chairman’s post. He wants to annoint MlA Raj Kumar Yadav’s wife as chairman. I have reasons to believe that the campaign to topple my wife is being done at the behest of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav,’’ alleged Anujesh.
“If Akhilesh Yadav can dislodge his father Mulayam Singh Yadav and uncle Shivpal Yadav from the party, then he can do the same with his brother Dharmendra Yadav and sister Sandhya Yadav,’’ he contended.
SP MlA from Ferozabad, Hariom Yadav, however denied the charges leveled by Anujesh Yadav. Rs Rs Anujesh has weaved a cock and bull story and there is no link between the no trust move in Firozabad and Mainpuri.”
Asked as to who was behind the no-trust move in Ferozabad, Hariom admitted, Rs Rs Dharmendra Yadav and Ramsiya Yadav (mother of his brother-in-law Rajiv Yadav) were behind the move to topple my son as chairman district panchyat of Ferozabad.’’
Ramsiya Yadav is the member of the district panchyat of Ferozabad and the debate and the voting on the no-trust motion is scheduled for July 20.
Hariom added, “All SP members who are supporting the no trust move against my son are turncoats and they can go with any party for petty benefits. Most of them are contractors and they want to remain in good books of the ruling party to protect their economic interests.’’
Rs Rs I have apprised SP chief Akhilesh Yadav of the situation in Ferozabad. The party leadership would soon take corrective measures for defeating the no-confidence motion against my son,’’said he.
In the Panchyat poll in January 2016, the then ruling SP had won 65 out of 75 seats of chairman of district panchyats. Ever since the BJP came to power in UP on March 19, as many as 10 chairman of district panchyats have been toppled. They were removed either by passage of no confidence motion or they resigned.
SP leaders heading panchayats in UP were being toppled like nine-pins with majority of independents keen to replace them with BJP leaders. The independents, in most panchayats, outnumber BJP men and were affiliated to either the SP or the BSP. However, with a change of government, the independents are now switching their loyalties with the ruling BJP.
A BJP leader said, “What is wrong in a no-confidence motion against zila panchayat heads if they are not fulfilling the people’s aspirationsIJ