Samajwadi Party rift: Mulayam Singh slams Akhilesh, but backs him as CM
Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party warfare turned ugly on Monday, with a fight erupting in the open between angry father Mulayam Singh Yadav and defiant son Akhilesh at a meeting of party MLAs, MLCs and MPs.
SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav challenged Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav by saying, “What is your position and status? Tumhari haisiyat kya hai? Can you win elections on your own?” A visibly upset and emotional Akhilesh offered to quit as CM but said he would not launch a new party.
Towards the end of the meeting, the situation took a turn for the worse when uncle Shivpal Yadav, who was sacked from the Akhilesh government on Sunday, snatched the mike from the CM when the latter began accusing SP MP Amar Singh of planting stories in which he was described as “Aurangzeb” and his father as “Shah Jahan”.
Shivpal called his nephew Akhilesh a liar, and this led to a scuffle between the supporters of the two leaders on the dais. Later on Monday, Mulyam Singh Yadav, however, categorically ruled out Akhilesh’s removal as CM.
The meeting of Samajwadi MPs, MLAs and MLCs convened by party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav witnessed high emotional drama and a lot of fireworks. Mulayam Singh Yadav, in his tirade against his son, said, “You got a post and lost your mind. Pad mila aur dimaag kharab ho gaya. You are protecting alcoholics, gamblers anti-social elements... Those betraying me will be exposed. Some leaders are sycophants, and you should recognise them.”
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Akhilesh asks MLAs to gear up for polls
A visibly emotional Akhilesh said: “This is your party and you have made me what I am. I am ready to resign if you want or you can remove me but I will not tolerate those who are conspiring against me.”
State SP chief Shivpal Singh then recalled his long association with Mulayam Singh Yadav, and said he too had also contributed towards building up the party but was humiliated twice - once when his portfolios were take away, and then when he was sacked.
Shivpal left the party stunned when he said Akhilesh had told him he would form a new party and contest elections in alliance with another party. Shivpal Yadav said he was ready to swear to this.
“What is my fault? I have never interfered in the Chief Minister’s working, but he never listened to me when I complained against some officers. If Mulayam Singh Yadav appointed me as state president, is it my fault?" he asked.
Later when Akhilesh touched his father’s feet and reminded him that it was birthday today, Mulayam Singh Yadav made a last-ditch attempt to broker peace and asked Akhilesh to also touch the feet of Shivpal, and take his blessings which Akhilesh then did. Later in the evening, Akhilesh Yadav called a meeting of MLAs at his residence and asked them to prepare for elections.
