SP strife: Shivpal and family resign, rejected by CM

Lucknow: Ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh is heading towards its biggest political crisis, as peeved over family feud Shivpal Singh Yadav tendered his resignation from Akhilesh Yadav Government as well as party’s state president and offered to work as simple party 'karyakarta'. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has however refused to accept the resignation but sources say Shivpal Singh Yadav has refused to work under Akhilesh Yadav. People close to Shivpal Singh Yadav say his son Aditya Yadav too has resigned from the post of Chairman, Pradeshik Cooperative Federation while his wife too put down his papers from a government post.

Shivpal has also returned the official vehicle and even started vacating the official residence. There is possibility that Mulayam Singh Yadav, who is national president of the party, will also reject resignation of Shivpal Singh Yadav and would be asked to continue as state president. Sources say Shivpal Singh took this decision after he had a short meeting with Chief Minister at his residence. He was in CM’s residence for just 15 minutes. What conspired between Chacha and Bhatija or whether CM at all met Shivpal Singh Yadav is not known but the way Shivpal Singh faxed his resignation letter to CM proves that the meeting failed to bring a possible thaw in relations.

After the news about the resignation, hundred of supporters of Shivpal gathered in front of his residence here in the state capital and were raising slogans on his support. Meanwhile, Senior SP leader and UP minister of state for health Ravidas Mehrotra though admitting that there is a major crisis in the party after the resignation by Shivpal Singh Yadav but was confidant that the matter would be resolved by tomorrow.

Talking to UNI Mr Mehrotra said both, the CM as well as the party president have rejected the resignations. He said the party has called for the Parliamentary Board meeting tomorrow in Lucknow. "Senior party leaders led by Mulayam Singh Yadav will sit tomorrow to solve the issue. The dispute is not so big that it cannot be solved, he further said. Earlier the CM reached his residence late and it has been reported that he did not meet his father Mulayam Singh Yadav. Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, who is caught between his son and brother, stepped in to defuse the crisis and reached Lucknow a day earlier.

He was earlier expected to come to state capital on Friday, but preferred to come a day earlier because of intransigent stand taken by Akhilesh Yadav. Sources in the party say Mulayam had summoned both Shivpal Singh Yadav and Akhilesh to New Delhi on Wednesday. Shivpal was in Etawah but reached Delhi but Akhilesh – despite cancelling his official engagements did not go to Delhi to meet party patriarch. Realising that situation might go out of hand Mulayam proponed his programme and before coming to Lucknow told reporters in Lucknow that everything will be sorted out. “Once I reach Lucknow I will resolve the crisis,” he said.

In Lucknow – Mulayam had a meeting with Shivpal Yadav. Sources said that he persuaded him to go and meet Akhilesh Yadav. “This was probably done to break ice between Chacha and Bhatija. The meeting between two was short – just for 13 minutes to be precise,” a source said. Interestingly, another family member Prof Ram Gopal Yadav, who met Chief Minister for around two hours left for saifai without meeting either Shivpal Singh or Mulayam Singh Yadav.

He however said,''neta ji will resolve the crisis as no one in party can disobey him.'' Shivpal Singh Yadav was not pleased the way Akhilesh has changed his portfoilio and reduced him from second in command in the government to just a minnow. He has minced no words in saying that decision to take important portfolios from him was only Akhilesh’s decision and he has not consulted any one in the party. “I know Akhilesh Yadav has not consulted anyone in the party before changing my portfolios. This was his personal decision,” Mr Yadav told reporters here.

He has also said he was given a bigger responsibility and was happy with it. “It is the Chief Minister’s prerogative to distribute portfolios and Akhilesh used that right. I am happy with what I have. I have been given a bigger responsibility and I will concentrate on that,” Shivpal said. He was, however, non-committal whether Akhilesh would be projected as Chief Minister by the party for the 2017 election. “I cannot say anything. It will be Netaji’s (Mulayam Singh Yadav) decision. If he says Akhilesh would be the Chief Ministerial face of the party I will abide by his order,” he said.

The statement was a reflection of prevailing bitterness between `chacha’ and `bhatija’ despite several rounds of talk between members of Yadav family. "No one becomes big because of what post he holds. I have always thought that way," he said,taking a jibe at Akhilesh Yadav. Akhilesh was angry the way he was removed from the post of state president.

In retaliation, he stripped Shivpal of all important posts. Shivpal did not delve into this detail, but said he too was removed in 2009 from the state president’s post. “I did not oppose that decision,” he said. Earlier, Shivpal Yadav was given a rousing welcome on his arrival from Delhi. Hundreds of workers reached Amausi airport to receive him. Slogans like “Shivpal Singh tum sangharsh karo hum tumahre saath hai,” rent the air. But the workers were not able to explain what kind of 'sangharsh' they want Shivpal to wage. (UNI)