Amid Party War, Akhilesh Will Begin Campaigning on 3 November

The war between Akhilesh and Shivpal Yadav over who will be the party’s Chief Ministerial candidate is still on.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had stripped his uncle Shivpal of key ministries. (Photo: The Quint)

Latest reports suggest that the rift within the Samajwadi Party (SP) is widening by the day. In a fresh twist to the ongoing turf battle, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav wrote a letter to his father and party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Wednesday informing him that he would be setting out on the campaign trail from 3 November.

This move would also mean Akhilesh will most likely skip the party's silver jubilee celebrations slated to begin two days later.

In a one-page letter, copies of which were also sent to the SP national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav and state unit chief Shivpal Singh Yadav, Akhilesh said that already a lot of time has been lost due to “some reasons.”

He further added the party can ill-afford to further delay its poll campaign for the state assembly elections scheduled for early next year saying all political parties have already started their campaign for the Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.

The letter wrongly mentions that 3 November falls on a Friday instead of Thursday.

Also Read: Is the Samajwadi Party Headed for a Vertical Split?

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@ksy4001)

Earlier, Akhilesh’s “Samajwadi Vikas Rath Yatra” was put off last month after the open turf war with his uncle Shivpal Yadav.

Akhilesh To Likely Skip SP’s Silver Jubilee Celebrations

The announcement has given rise to speculation that Akhilesh might skip SP’s sliver jubilee celebrations that begin on 5 November to send a message that he was unhappy over the expulsion of youth leaders from the party, who would not be present at the event.

Citing the delay and pointing out that other parties were already in poll mode, the Chief Minister said that to return to power, the campaign has to be started right away without any further delay.

Akhilesh has also written that the details of the programme would be, from time to time, informed to the district presidents of the party.

The last lines of the letter are terse as the Chief Minister says the letter was being "humbly" sent to him for information.

(clockwise) Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilehs Yadav (left), Samajwadi supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, and party state president Shivpal Yadav. (Photo: The Quint)

SP Feud Reaching Point of No Return

Quoting sources from within the party, CNN-News18 said that a strong reply is being prepared by the Mulayam-Shivpal camp. The report also added that feud in the party has reached a point of no return, and Mulayam will likely reasses Akhilesh’s position in the party.

“The public display of such brusqueness is not going to do any good to Akhilesh Yadav,” a senior party leader said.

Akhilesh vs Mulayam

Earlier, Mulayam Singh Yadav evaded a question about Akhilesh’s candidacy and said that the party’s parliamentary board and legislators will decide who will be the CM candidate in 2017.

However, Samajwadi Party’s national vice president Kiranmoy Nanda declared on Monday that Akhilesh continues to be the party’s choice for Chief Ministerial candidate, reports Business Standard.

Also Read: Akhilesh Yadav Is Our CM Candidate, Says SP Leader Kiranmoy Nanda

In a strong move, Akhilesh had stripped Shivpal of three key state ministries in September, fanning the spark between the two into a full-blown political war.

“UP’s Yadav Saga is Far From Over”

Right after UP CM’s strongly worded letter to the party supremo, the power-struggle has only escalated, Twitter reactions concluded.

Between today and 3 November, the other party players’ move remains to be seen. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will be the major contenders for 2017 Assembly elections.

In 2017, five states including Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand, and Punjab will go to poll.

(With inputs form Business Standard and ANI)