Here is a four point four-point compromise formula of the Samajwadi Party that brokered the truce in the Yadav Pari’War’.
1) Gayatri Prasad Prajapati to be minister again, but will get different portfolio.
2) Shivpal to get back his portfolios and also be state President.
3) Akhilesh to have an important say in ticket distribution.
4) Action against Amar Singh
The alleged feud between Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav was triggered after the latter was removed from key ministerial portfolios on September 13.
The ongoing friction accelerated after Shivpal Yadav on Thursday night submitted his resignation as ruling Samajwadi Party’s state unit head and as a minister in the cabinet of newphew Akhilesh Yadav with whom he is at loggerheads. However, the resignation was today rejected by Mulayam Singh Yadav as well as Akhilesh Yadav.
The turmoil within the Yadav family that rules both the Samajwadi Pary and Uttar Pradesh intensified on Thursday after veteran leader Shivpal Yadav, quit from all the responsibilities that he had been given. The brother of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, quit as minister from the government of nephew Akhilesh Yadav and the post of state party president two days after his appointment. According to latest inputs, Mulayam Singh Yadav has rejected Shivpal Yadav’s resignation from the post of UP party chief.
He sent his resignation to Mulayam Singh and Akhilesh after meeting them at their homes separately. Sources inside the party, as reported by The Indian Express say, Mulayam Singh, anticipating Shivpal’s move, had rushed to Lucknow from New Delhi Thursday afternoon. He met both Shivpal and Akhilesh. Earlier in the day, Shivpal told reporters that a decision on his continuation in the government would be taken only by Mulayam Singh.
The fault lines within the family were widely visible after Ram Gopal Yadav, party general secretary and cousin of Mulayam Singh, disagreed with the decision to remove Akhilesh as state party president, calling it a “mistake” even if “unintentional”. He also said Mulayam Singh was being “misled” by “some people” into believing he was being challenged and added that all this was being done by a few “outsiders.”
“Kehte istifa de dijiye, chunav aa raha hai… adhyaksh ka kaam yeh karenge aur aap chief minister hain hi… koi problem hi nahin thi… us chakkar mein misunderstanding ho gayi (He may have been asked to step down because of elections. He could have been told you are the CM, he (Shivpal Yadav) will perform the duties of the president. There would have been no problem. But it led to a misunderstanding),” he said.
The most clear indications of a feud were seen when two days ago, Mulayam Singh appointed brother Shivpal as the state unit chief, and son Akhilesh stripped his uncle off many important ministerial portfolios.
Read: Clash of the Yadav clan
Ram Gopal said “some people” with “no concern” for the interests of the party and with “no association” to the party were “taking advantage” of Mulayam Singh’s “simplicity” and causing damage.
He said “one such person” had got appointed an in-charge (Shivpal) of the party though there was no such provision. He said party workers and leaders want action against “that person” but any action will be taken once “limits are crossed”.
He did not take names but party insiders said he could have been referring to Amar Singh whose return to the party has been credited to Shivpal. Meanwhile, there were reports of Shivpal, receiving a rousing reception in lucknow where party workers chanted “Shivpal tum sangharsh karo, hum tumhare saath hain”. He said that he had accepted the decision to remove him and also added on the “outsider” remark that a person should “use his own brain” and not take decisions “under anyone’s influence”.
On being stripped of important ministries, Shivpal said he felt that Mulayam Singh’s “opinion” was not taken. “But I am ready to make any sacrifice,” he said, adding that he had always accepted Akhilesh as Chief Minister, but also maintaining that, “ Netaji (Mulayam Singh) has all the powers, and no one can challenge that.”
