Emotions at play amid high drama
LUCKNOW: Emotions were at play in the Samajwadi Party crisis with chief minister Akhilesh Yadav invoking his father and vowing to serve him lifelong amid reports that Mulayam Singh Yadav was distressed over the current developments and had told senior leaders: “I never imagined that I will have to see such days.”
In fact, Akhilesh Yadav seemed to have softened his stance a bit soon after the sacking of the party’s national general secretary Ramgopal Yadav and issued a statement saying he would participate in the silver jubilee celebrations of the party on November 5 and any other such event.
The statement issued on Sunday evening cleared the suspense on his participation in the event. Since Wednesday (October 19), speculation was rife that he would give the event a miss in the backdrop of the family feud in the party.
The speculation began after Akhilesh announced he would go on yatra on November 3, two days ahead of the party’s November 5 event. He also said he would take out the yatra.
“Netaji (party president Mulayam Singh Yadav) is my father and my leader. In both his capacities, I will serve him lifelong,” he said at the legislature party meeting in the morning according to the press statement. His exact words were: “Umr bhar unki seva karta rahunga”.
Responding to another speculation that he might split the party, Akhilesh said: “I will stay in the party and consolidate it”.
He also said he would gift the Lucknow-Agra Expressway on Mulayam’s birthday on November 22.
Rajendra Chowdhary, a minister close to him who issued the press statement on his behalf, said most of the members of the legislature party attended the meeting.
Chowdhary also quoted Akhilesh as saying: “I will follow every order of Netaji. I have carried out with sincerity the responsibility that Netaji gave me and continue to do so.”
“I will not spare anyone who will conspire against the party and Netaji. Some people who have conspired in damaging the family, I will act against them and their supporters,” he said. The statement also said several resolutions were passed at the meeting.