Akhilesh Sacks Shivpal, 3 Others; MSY Expels Ram Gopal in Response
Beginning of the end? Akhilesh Yadav to meet party loyalists to decide the course of the ongoing family feud.
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- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav sacks Shivpal Yadav and three others from the Cabinet
- The decision was taken at the legislature meet convened by Akhilesh at 11 am on Sunday
- The legislature meeting excluded 75 MLAs and MLCs known to be close to Shivpal Yadav
- Resolution passed unanimously at the meeting paved the way for the sacking of “those close to Amar Singh”
- Jaya Prada, a close aide of Amar Singh, has also been removed as the head of the UP’s Film Promotion Board
- Ram Gopal Yadav expelled from the Samajwadi party and General Secretary position for six years
- Mulayam Singh Yadav calls for a meeting with senior party officials at his residence
On Sunday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav sacked Shivpal Yadav and three others from the cabinet. The decision was taken at the legislature meeting that just concluded at the UP CM’s residence. Despite the act of assertion, Akhilesh maintained all is well in the party.
Along with Shivpal Yadav, three of his loyalists – Narad Rai, Om Prakash and Shadab Fatima have also been fired from the cabinet.
The UP CM had convened a meeting of 175 of the 300 odd MLAs and MLCs to chart a new course in the ongoing family feud.
Speaking to CNN News 18, Mainpuri MLA Raju Yadav said that a resolution was unanimously passed in the meeting that states that those in the party who are close to Amar Singh will be sacked.
Last month, Akhilesh had the taken away Shivpal Yadav’s portfolios, but retained him in the council of ministers.
Will Be With Akhilesh in “Dharma Yudh”: Ram Gopal
Hours after being expelled from the Samajwadi Party for six years, Ram Gopal Yadav on Sunday said he will always remain with nephew Akhilesh Yadav in the “holy war” even though his elder brother and party supremo Mulayam Singh was his “guru” in politics and will remain so.
In a statement faxed from Mumbai, he said he had no grievances over his expulsion from the party but the “cheap allegations leveled against me have definitely hurt me deeply.”
Problems Will Be Solved in Few Days: Abu Azmi
After meeting Ram Gopal Yadav, SP leader, Abu Azmi assured that the party is still strong and there are a few problems that will be solved in a few days.
Mulayam Singh Calls for Meeting With Senior Party Members
Mulayam Singh Yadav called for meeting with senior party members at his residence. Shivpal Yadav and other party members who were suspended by Akhilesh Yadav attended the meeting that took place on Sunday evening.
Shivpal Yadav left Mulayam Singh Yadav’s residence without addressing the media.
Mulayam Singh Yadav didn’t answer any questions after the meeting and asked the reporters to ask about the developments on Monday.
All Allegations Are Baseless: Ram Gopal Yadav
Ram Gopal Yadav wrote a letter to SP Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and said that he was not sad that he had been expelled from the party but was hurt because of the allegations that had been levelled against him.
He said that there were no cases against him or his family members and meeting BJP or other party leaders is normal.
He called Mulayam Singh Yadav his 'guru' in politics, who currently is surrounded by evil powers.
He said, “Whether I am in SP or not I will continue to extend my support to Akhilesh Yadav till he becomes CM”.
Ram Gopal Yadav Sacked From Party
Shivpal Yadav addressed the reporters again and said that Ram Gopal Yadav had been expelled from the Samajwadi party and General Secretary position for six years.
Shivpal Yadav accused Ram Gopal Yadav of corruption and said that Ram Gopal has created a group of goons who trouble people and created nuisance in the state.
Shivpal said that Ram Gopal had been conspiring against him and had been involved with the BJP to save his son and daughter-in-law from a CBI case.
He said that Ram Gopal had misused Mulayam Singh’s name and had affected the party’s image in the state.
CM Did What He Thought Was Right: Suspended Minister
Suspended Samajwadi Party minister, Sayeda Shadab Fatima said that it the CM’s right to choose whether or not to keep someone in his party.
Shivpal Addresses Media After Getting Sacked
Addressing the reported, Shivpal Yadav said, “in I am not bothered about my sacking. I will go and work for elections on behalf of SP”.
Taking a dig at Ram Gopal Yadav, he also said that senior party leaders are conspiring with BJP to save themselves from CBI.
Meanwhile, BJP Uttar Pradesh Chief Keshav Prasad Maurya said, "CM Akhilesh Yadav should resign or prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly."
Mulayam Singh Livid
Mulayam Singh Yadav is apparently angry with the recent developments that have everyone talking of a divided Samajwadi Party, reported CNN News18.
Mulayam, as reported by CNN News18, cannot stand the fact that his party is divided in two halves.
Meanwhile, Azam Khan and Raja Bhaiya backed Akhilesh Yadav and showed their support with his decision.
According to CNN News18 sources, Mulayam is apparently mulling replacing Akhilesh as the chief minister.
Akhilesh, who has been very clear on his stand towards Shivpal and his closeness to Amar Singh, told Mulayam that he needs to take some tough decisions as the leader of the party.
CNN News18 also reported on speculations that Mulayam will remove Akhilesh as the chief minister and annoint himself as the chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections on 2017.
Akhilesh deferred his visit to the Governor’s house. The UP CM was to inform him of the decision to sack Shivpal Yadav and three others from the cabinet.
Akhilesh will attend the legislature meeting convened by SP Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday. This meeting was scheduled much before his own meeting with 175 MLAs and MLCs this morning which ended with the sacking of Shivpal Yadav and three others from the cabinet.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was supposed to meet Governor Ram Naik and was expected to apprise him of the decision to sack four ministers from the government.
SP Old Guard Meet Mulayam
Senior leaders of the Samajwadi Party including Beni Prasad Verma and Naresh Agrawal met Mulayam Singh Yadav at his residence for a short duration. Shivpal Yadav was not invited to this meeting.
This follows Akhilesh’s meeting with his father at 10:15 am. The UP CM is due to meet 175 MLAs and MLCs at 11am.
Akhilesh Meets Mulayam Ahead of Key SP Meet
Akhilesh Yadav met his father Mulayam Singh at his residence in what is speculated to be a last ditch attempt at arriving at a consensus. The power tussle between Mulayam’s brother Shivpal Yadav and son Akhilesh Yadav is over the Number 2 position in the party.
CNN News 18 quotes sources to say Akhilesh will remain adamant on his stand unless Shivpal Yadav is removed as state party president.
Akhilesh’s Pre-emptive Strike
In what is being seen as a show of strength in the party split down the middle, Akhilesh Yadav has called for a meeting with 175 MLAs and MLCs at his residence at 11am on Sunday.
The meeting comes 24 hours before Mulayam Singh Yadav was to address a similar meeting in Lucknow on Monday. The pre-emptive strike follows the sacking of party MLC Udayveer Singh.
A close aide of the UP Chief Minister, Singh was sacked for a six year period after he wrote a letter to Mulayam complaining about interference in party affairs from the first family.
Earlier, the UP Chief Minister announced that he will kickstart the election campaign on his own. Akhilesh announced his ‘Vikas Yatra’ from 3 November, making himself unavailable for the party’s silver jubilee celebrations on 5 November.
Uncle vs Uncle: Ram Gopal Yadav Openly Backs Akhilesh
In a letter to all party workers, Ram Gopal Yadav says only Akhilesh can lead the Samajwadi Party to victory.
UP Governor Ram Naik, however, refrained from commenting on the political crisis in the Samajwadi Party.
The 26-year-old will be the face of the Samajwadi Party from the Lucknow (Cantonment) in the 2017 assembly elections. Lucknow Cantt has traditionally been a Congress-BJP seat, currently held by Rita Bahuguna Joshi.
Aparna completed her post-graduate degree in politics and international relations from the Manchester University. She’s been running an NGO called B-Aware that works for women empowerment, women’s safety and animal welfare.
Mother of a three-year-old, she is a trained classical and semi-classical singer and has also won acclaim for her social work from the United Nations.
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Published: 23 Oct 2016,08:51 AM IST