A fresh round of bickering is in the offing within Samajwadi Party’s first family as the party readies for its national convention, the first under Akhilesh Yadav’s presidentship, on October 4. Eaarlie on Jaanuary 1, Akhilesh had toppled his father Mulayam Singh Yadav from the top SP post at a aspecial cconvention in lucknow.
Samajwadi Party sources said, “Though a process of reconciliation is on within the first family, there has been little headway as a consensus eludes contentious issues like accommodation of Shivpal Yadav and Mulayam Singh’s second daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav in the organisation.’’
While the venue of the national convention is yet to be decided, it is likely to be held in Agra, Jhansi or lucknow an could see a virtual tug of war between Akhilesh and father Mulayam.
Sources close to the SP chief said that Akhilesh wanted a settlement to the dispute on his own terms. ``Ever since his annointed as party chief on January 1, Akhilesh has steadily consolidated his hold on the organization and effectively marginalized loyalists of his father and uncle Shivpal. There is hence a remote possibility of a possible climb down by the SP president,’’said an Akhilesh loyalist.
Recently, Mulayam Singh Yadav had threatened to part ways with the SP, if the party brass went for an alliance in the next lok Sabha elections. Earlier, Akhilesh baiter Shivpal Yadav had announced to float a parallel outfit Samajwadi Secular Front if Mulayam was not given his respectful place by the party.
The national convention will be the first opportunity for the remaining Mulayam Singh and Shivpal Yadav loyalists to assert their strength in the party.
SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said that the party will hold its national convention on October 4, district wise conventions will be held on September 5 while the state convention would be held on September 23.
By October 7, the party will have to submit its organizational structure to Election Commission of India. Chaudhary said that in districts affected by floods, the convention would be held on later dates.
Since its inception in 1992, the Samajwadi Party has been electing its president for a tenure of three years. After the Assembly poll, Akhilesh Yadav amended the party’s constitution giving the chief’s post a five-year term.
“Akhilesh knows how to fight the political battle. He emerged victorious in the family feud and now his sole agenda is to reorganize the party and prepare for the 2019 lok Sabha elections,” said Akhilesh loyalist and MlC Sunil Singh Sajan.