New Delhi: In the 24 hours, since SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav announced the expulsion of Akhilesh Yadav and Ram Gopal Yadav from the party for six years, there were several twists and turns in the high voltage drama that played out in the Samajwadi parivar.
On Saturday morning, both Mulayam Singh and Akhilesh Yadav summoned party MLAs and other functionaries for a show of strength. The Chief Minister won hands down with nearly 200 of the SP’s 231 MLAs reaching his residence. Only a handful of MLAs showed up at Mulayam Singh’s doorstep.
One of Mulayam Singh’s loyalists, Atiq Ahmed, who had been given the party ticket against Akhilesh’s wishes, offered to back off for the unity of the party. Atiq, who was one of the few SP functionaries to have reached Mulayam Singh’s residence, said, “If I am the reason, I am ready to back off.”
After the angry and ageing father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, flanked by his brother Shivpal Yadav, made his move to retain his hold on the party that he had created with “blood and sweat” and sacked his son for defying his diktat and coming out with a parallel list of candidates, all hell broke loose.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav telephoned Mulayam Singh Yadav and urged him to revoke Akhilesh Yadav’s expulsion.
