Mulayam backs brother Shivpal,warns SP will divide if he quits

SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today backed his brother and Cabinet Minister Shivpal Yadav, who had threatened to resign, and made veiled criticism of the Uttar Pradesh government which is headed by his son.

In an indication of an intense feud in the ruling party's first family, Mulayam while coming out in support of Shivpal said if he left the Samajwadi Party(SP), it will get divided into factions.

Mulayam's remarks came a day after Shivpal threatened to resign alleging rampant corruption in the state government headed by Akhilesh Yadav. Assembly polls in UP are due next year.

At a flag-hoisting programme on the occasion of the Independence Day, Mulayam said that while Shivpal was working hard a conspiracy was being hatched against the minister within the SP and the government and cautioned that if he leaves the party, it will get divided into factions.

He said he had read media reports that Shivpal while expressing concern over touts and musclemen calling the shots in the state, had threatened to resign.

"Shivpal is working very hard. A few people are against him. If he quits, then the situation for the party will become bad. Half of the people will go with him," the SP supremo said.

As some party leaders attempted to prevent the issue from being talked about in the presence of the media, he said, "How does it matterIJ An issue that is true is true."

SP state president and UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was present on the occasion.

While expressing concern over "land-grabbing", Shivpal, who was in Mainpuri, had spoken about his resignation.

He had alleged some party workers and office-bearers were involved in "wrongful acts" of "land-grabbing and harassment of the public".

"MlAs and MlCs involved in such activities will be expelled from SP. Those party workers and office-bearers involved in land grabbing and acts of deceit will be expelled," Shivpal had said yesterday.

He had said, "Government staff at police stations and tehsils are not paying heed to public grievances. SP had to face defamation because of those involved in land-grabbing and illegal acts."

Shivpal had later said in a statement that SP would not allow people to be harassed even if it requires him to resign.

"Samajwadi Party will never allow harassment of the public...Iske liye chahe mujhe istifa kyun na dena pade (for this I am even prepared to resign)...Those involved in harassment of the people have no connection with SP," he said.

Mulayam said that from next month, he would hold rallies in 18 divisions.