Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday broke down while addressing supporters at the Samajwadi Party, saying that he was hurt when his father Mulayam Singh Yadav removed him as the party chief. He also dismissed reports of him planning to form a new party. He was not so confident as he was earlier. He looked as if he was ready to give away the power.
Reports suggested that the party was inching closer to a split when Akhilesh sacked his uncle Shivpal Yadav along with three other ministers close to him on Sunday.
“People are saying a new party will be formed. Who is forming a new party? I am not,” Akhilesh said.
His address came soon after supporters of rival SP factions clashed outside the party headquarters in Lucknow. The supporters exchanged blows and the police had to use force to disperse them.
Shivpal Yadav, who is the party’s state president, responded to Akhilesh’s move by expelling SP MP Prof. Ram Gopal Yadav from the party for six years. Shivpal Yadav alleged that Prof. Ram Gopal Yadav was working at the behest of the BJP to save his son and daughter-in-law from the CBI. He said that the two were involved in the Yadav Singh-Noida Authority corruption case.
Ram Gopal Yadav had triggered off the events by dropping a letter bomb on Sunday morning in which he said that those who were opposing Akhilesh Yadav should not be allowed to succeed.
The three ministers who were sacked along with Shivpal Yadav were Om Prakash Singh, Narad Rai and Shadab Fatima. Ms Jaya Prada has also been removed from the post of vice-chairperson of UP Film Council.
The Chief Minister informed party MLAs and MLCs of these decisions at a meeting at his residence. Shivpal Singh and ministers and legislators close to him were not invited to the meeting.
