Akhilesh gets to stay as CM after strong criticism by Mulayam
YADAV VS YADAV Samajwadi Party family feud plays out in public once again
LUCKNOW: The stage was set. The actors played to the script, even beyond. There were fiery exchanges, some tears and even hugs as an impatient audience watched on. But, there was no happy ending.
Uttar Pradesh’s ruling Samajwadi Party was on Monday as divided as it was a day earlier. No sides showed signs of backing down, dealing a blow to chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, struggling to keep his party together as the bitter feud between his son and chief minister Akhilesh and younger brother Shivpal played out in public, again.
The signs were telling. Even before the party meeting called by Mulayam got underway, Akhilesh and Shivpal supporters clashed outside the venue.
Inside, Mulayam was unsparing in his criticism of Akhilesh, who was called a liar by Shivpal. Mulayam made it clear he would not let go of either Shivpal, thrown out of the cabinet by the CM on Sunday, or long-time aide Amar Singh, who Akhilesh wants out of the party.
Akhilesh refused to be cowed down, accusing his uncle and Singh of conspiring to dislodge him. Though he made clear that Akhilesh would continue as the CM, Mulayam shouted his son down twice, once asking him to shut up and later asking him, “Tumhari haisiyat hi kya hai? (Who do you think you are?)”
The meeting was a desperate attempt by 76-year-old Mulayam to stamp his authority but the divide is looking increasingly unbridgeable.
Akhilesh said he was willing to quit but wouldn’t part ways. Shivpal insisted the CM had told him of plans to split the party.
“Why would I form a new party?” Akhilesh said. Earlier, Shivpal launched an all-out attack against Ramgopal Yadav, removed as party general secretary on Sunday, accusing him of corruption.
Ramgopal, who has backed Akhilesh in the power struggle, reaffirmed his support. “Without Akhilesh, the SP cannot win elections. My aim is to install him as the chief minister once again,” he said in Delhi later in the day.
Shivpal asked Mulayam to take over as the CM, complaining that officials ignored him at Akhilesh’s behest.
Both Akhilesh and Shivpal, who snatched the microphone from each other, defended themselves. But, it was clear that Mulayam was on Shivpal’s side. Akhilesh, who was seen wiping tears on one occasion, addressed his father and said, “I will fight against wrong as you have taught me.”
“Agar aapki party hai aur career hai to mera bhi yehi career hai Agar aap barbaad honge to main bhi barbaad hounga (If it is your party and profession, it is my party and my profession too. If you are going to get ruined, so would I),” Akhilesh said.
After about one-and-a-half-hour of allegations and counter-allegations, it looked like that proceedings would end on an amicable note.
Prodded by Mulayam, Akhilesh and Shivpal hugged each other. Akhilesh even touched his uncle’s feet.
But then Mulayam said Muslims leaders had written to him that they were unhappy with the party.
It was because of the “Aurangzeb and Shahjehan report” planted in an English daily by Amar Singh, Akhilesh said, a reference to a new story in which the CM was likened to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb who dislodged his father.
Akhilesh pointed to MLC Ashu Malik, a Mulayam loyalist, and asked him to explain. But chaos followed.
“You are lying,” said Shivpal as Mulayam made his way down the stage. Aashu Malik reached the dais and tried to take away the mike from CM but he was pushed away by Akhilesh’s security personnel as party supporters hurled chairs at him. Mulayam left the venue. So did Akhilesh and Shivpal, leaving the Samajwadi Party at crossroads as another round of expulsions saw 10 workers being thrown out of the party.
With agency inputs