A day after working out an uneasy truce, the Yadav clan on Saturday sought to draw the curtains on the open power tussle within the family with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav extending “all support” to his uncle Shivpal, the Samajwadi Party’s State chief and asserting they stood “united”.
Akhilesh, Shivpal and SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav later went into a huddle at the latter’s residence, which, sources said, was to “thrash out continuing misgivings, if any and draw the lines clear for each one of them.”
Nevertheless, Akhilesh did not miss out to drive home his point that he was not backing out on his demand for having a say in ticket distribution as he reiterated that the upcoming Assembly polls were his examinations and that he would tell as much to Mulayam.
Interestingly, Akhilesh’s reiteration came even as he has been made the chairman of the parliamentary board of the SP’s State unit. As per the established practice and the constitution of the party, it’s the State president of the party (in this case Shivpal) who holds this position. The parliamentary board has a key role in the distribution of tickets for the State Assembly election and other bodies like panchyat and upper house of the State legislature.
Akhilesh was stripped of the post and replaced by Shivpal by Mulayam, following which he divested his uncle of key portfolios leading to the family feud spilling out in the open. This evening, on the advice of the Chief Minister, UP Governor Ram Naik reallocated nine departments to Shivpal, who will now hold charge of 13 departments against the nine previously.
The CM has, however, retained the PWD which was earlier held by Shivpal. The SP, in the meantime, removed its spokesperson Rajendra Choudhary and brought in Ambika Chaudhary in his place.
“I had gone to the residence of my uncle not to the place of SP’s State president. All in the party will abide by the direction of party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav,” Akhilesh said addressing a Press conference after meeting Shivpal and having tea with him.
Earlier, the day started with Akhilesh’s supporters taking to the streets demanding the return of the party chief’s post to him and the heads of four frontal organisations of the SP
Chhatra Sabha, lohia Vahini, Yuvjan Sabha and MSY Youth Brigade — writing to Mulayam demanding reinstatement of Akhilesh as the State unit chief. Supporters of Shivpal too gathered outside his house leading to sloganeering from both sides and prompting Mulayam to intervene.
On Mulayam’s directions, Akhilesh asked the youth workers to meet him at his residence but the SP supremo himself took the youth workers to task for their protests. Mulayam even targeted Akhilesh, asking, "Why Balram Yadav was sacked from the CabinetIJ Did Akhilesh ask me before taking this decision and why Shivpal Yadav was stripped of his portfoliosIJ Akhilesh took both the decisions without consulting me and I will never accept the arbitrary and partisan behaviour of the party leaders, SP is a democratic party and it will function accordingly''.
"If Akhilesh had any grievances he should have shared it with me. If he has any dispute with Shivpal then it could be sorted out. This tamasha in the party will never be tolerated," said the SP chief even as he was all praise for his brother.