With no signs of a thaw in the ongoing game of one-upmanship among members of the Samajwadi Party’s first family, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav called on Governor Ram Naik to discuss the political situation in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, while State party president Shivpal Yadav expelled Tej Pratap, alias Pawan Pandey, Minister of State for Forest, from the primary membership of the party for six years.
Pandey was punished by the party for his alleged role in manhandling of SP MlC Ashu Malik inside the official residence of the Chief Minister on Monday evening. Malik, incidentally, is a confidant of Shivpal Yadav while Pandey is close to the Chief Minister.
This, however, has led to an unprecedented situation in the State’s politics as Pandey, despite having been expelled from the party, continues as a member of Akhilesh’s Council of Ministers.
Pandey is a key member of ‘Team Akhilesh’ and was given the party ticket in 2012 because of his proximity to Akhilesh after the party had denied a ticket to his uncle Jai Shankar Pandey from Faizabad.
Pandey had trounced veteran BJP leader lallu Singh, who was later elected to the lok Sabha from Faizabad in the 2014 elections.
Addressing a Press conference here on Wednesday, Shivpal said the decision to expel Pandey had been taken by the SP’s national president Mulayam Singh Yadav.
“We have written a letter to UP Chief Minister to dismiss Pawan Pandey from the ministerial position as he has been expelled from the party following the clash with MlC Ashu Malik,” Shivpal said.
On Tuesday, Akhilesh had summoned him to his residence and Ashu Malik had lodged a police complaint against Pandey though no FIR has been registered so far.
Unfazed by the announcement of his expulsion from the party, Pawan Pandey dismissed the order saying, “It was a worthless piece of paper which has no value. The charges levelled by Ashu Malik are a lie and this can be confirmed from the footage of CCTV cameras installed at the residence of the Chief Minister. The security officer posted at the Chief Minister’s residence has given in writing to the police that no clash or manhandling of any person occurred at the Chief Minister’s residence at the time and date given by Ashu Malik.”
It seemed the Chief Minister was in no mood to oblige his uncle Shivpal, who vacated his official residence on Kalidas Marg on Wednesday. Shivpal’s move is an indication that rapprochement between him and Akhilesh was now unlikely.
light commercial vehicles were used to ferry household goods from Kalidas Marg to Shivpal’s private residence on Vikramaditya Marg near the State SP office. Earlier in the morning, Shivpal’s staff removed his ministerial nameplate from his residence. The move is being seen in political circles as Shivpal’s snub to attempts to broker a peace deal wherein his re-induction is being linked to revocation of Ram Gopal Yadav’s expulsion from the party.
Shivpal, however, left for Delhi later in the evening and is likely to speak with Rashtriya lok Dal chief Ajit Singh to carry forward negotiations for a pre-poll alliance ahead of the 2017 Assembly polls. He is also likely to meet Congress leaders in Delhi to explore possibilities of an alliance.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav called on Governor Ram Naik on Wednesday and is believed to have briefed him about the political situation in the State. The meeting lasted for around 30 minutes.
There was speculation that the Chief Minister presented a list of legislators supporting him but Raj Bhawan sources said it was a courtesy meeting in which Akhilesh and the Governor exchanged Diwali greetings. The Governor, however, said that whatever was happening in the ruling Samajwadi Party’s first family was their internal matter and there was no constitutional crisis in the State. “I am closely monitoring the developments and will act accordingly as per the requirement,” he said.