Akhilesh gives Shivpal ministries back, but firm on polls ticket distribution

Amid the ongoing power tussle in the Samajwadi Party, Union Minister and BJP MP Sanjeev Balyan on Friday alleged that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is trying to hide his government’s failures with this “family drama”.

Pride of Shivpal Yadav seems to have been restored when Mulayam hinted that he will shoulder the responsibility of state unit chief and his departments will be given back to him.

Mulayam Singh Yadav breaks his silence on Akhilesh-Shivpal feud, says ‘there will no division in the party, till I am here’. He said he would rather work for the party.Observers feel his was feeling sidelined.

If the feud within the family continues, both the BSP and the BJP would start dreaming of poaching its voters, and also some slighted members of the Yadav family.

On Thursday, Shivpal Yadav resigned from the UP cabinet and post of UP chief of the Samajwadi Party. The decision was taken at the behest of Shivpal who even made the announcement, even though the State president was Akhilesh Yadav. The supporters were shouting slogans “Shivpal tum sangharsh karo, hum tumhare saath hain” (In your struggle, we are with you).

The contention of the crisis began when Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav degraded Shivpal’s ministry from PWD to welfare and removed him as party’s state president.

“Hum sab Netaji ke saath hain (We are all with Mulayam)”, he said.

He also announced among enthused party workers that there is no difference of opinion in the party.

Shivpal too put speculations to rest and urged his agitated supporters to work towards strengthening the party.

The development came hours after Akhilesh shunted out state chief secretary Deepak Singhal, considered close to Shivpal and replaced him with Rahul Bhatnagar.

The move comes at a time when the state is gearing up for assembly elections which is scheduled to take place next year. While no official reason was given, Mr. Singhal seems to have irked the CM by attending a bash held in Delhi by Mr. Amar Singh, an event the CM himself preferred to give a miss.

Mulayam Singh Yadav is known for his passion for wrestling.

Akhilesh Yadav had also mentioned about an “outsider” which is seen as a reference to Amar Singh, who is seen as close to Shivpal. No decision in the party is taken without Netaji’s consent. The meeting was to end the crisis, but with Shivpal’s resignation, the SP is in a tumble as he is the most important organisational man in the party.