It is now official that the Samajwadi Party is going to split into two. After being sacked from the cabinet, Uttar Pradesh Samajwadi Party President Shivpal Yadav has hit back by sacking cousin Ram Gopal Yadav from the party.
This is being seen as a strong and final message to Akhilesh, who now seems to be mentally prepared for the split of the party. Mulayam could sack Akhilesh from the post of Chief Minister and don the mantle himself for the fourth time in the history of Uttar Pradesh politics.
Tussle Over Party Symbol on the Cards
As of now, the official symbol of the party - the bicycle - will remain with the Mulayam-Shivpal fold. The bicycle could be the new bone of contention between the two political forces that have emerged out of the same party. But team Akhilesh is prepared to handle this problem, if it comes to that.
Team Akhilesh is Ready to Rechristen Party
Sources close to Akhilesh Yadav say that the newly-formed political outfit is gearing up to be christened the Progressive Samajwadi Party or Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party. The new political party will “graduate” to a motorcycle from the bicycle in the selection of its new election symbol. Akhilesh's uncle and party's senior pro Ram Gopal Yadav's recent visit to the Election Commission office in New Delhi has lent credence to the political buzz.
Earlier, top party leaders were trying to register the name Samajwadi Janata Party, but this name has already been licensed to late Prime Minister Chandrashekhar’s aide Kamal Morarka. Another name the faction was vying for is Rashtriya Samajwadi Party, but this name has also already been registered.
New Alliance on the Cards
Sources close to team Akhilesh Yadav and Ram Gopal Yadav say that their homework is complete. They have been working for some time towards the formation of a mahagathbandhan in Uttar Pradesh, similar to the one that contested the elections in Bihar. This mahagathbandhan or grand alliance will be formed with the intention of becoming a formidable force which will prevent the Bhartiya Janata Party from coming to power in the state.
Janata Dal (United) President and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his close confidant KC Tyagi are said to be keeping a close watch on the ongoing developments within the Samajwadi fold. The grand alliance will be formed under the aegis of Nitish Kumar.
The Bihar Chief Minister is already said to be in talks with like-minded parties which include the Akhilesh-Ram Gopal Yadav faction of the Samajwadi Party, Congress party and Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). All partners of the grand alliance will be contesting the polls on their own election symbols and a transparent seat sharing formula is expected to be in place very soon.
Youth, development and progress will be seminal to their agenda and the grand alliance will use these to pitch for votes in Uttar Pradesh. Three youth leaders, Akhilesh Yadav, Rahul Gandhi and Ajit Singh's son Jayant Chaudhary could be the youth faces for the polls.
The formation of this grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh can potentially change the balance of caste equations drastically in the state. All major political players in the state will have to brainstorm new equations to field candidates in the 403 seats up for grabs in the state assembly.
(The writer is a freelance TV journalist.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)