Mulayam Singh revokes expulsion of two Akhilesh proteges

Yielding to sulking Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh has revoked the expulsion of two of his close proteges, Sunil Singh Sajan and Anand Bhadauria, an official spokesman said.

The two were booted out of the party last week following complaints that they had opposed official party candidates in the polls for 'zila panchayat' chairmen.

The expulsion had stunned the party cadres as the two were considered the closest associates of the chief minister.

After the action was announced by PWD Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav, the chief minister went into a sulk and for the first time skipped the Saifai Mahotsava, baring in open the simmering differences between Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh.

The sources said that some family members, mainly the young leaders, communicated to the chief minister that the two need to seek forgiveness from Mulayam Singh and then the SP chief would be cajoled into bringing them back into the party fold.

Following the plan, while Akhilesh went to the Saifai Mahotsava after six days of absence, Mulayam also turned 'soft' at the persuasion of senior leaders that the incident was sending a wrong message to the people and the party rank and file, specially since the state assembly elections were just a year away.

Finally, Shivpal Singh Yadav announced the revoking of Sunil Singh Sajan and Anand Bhadauria's expulsion late Friday.