Black magic used to widen rift: SP partymen

LUCKNOW: With the crisis within the Samajwadi Party appearing to be far from over, a section of Uttar Pradesh’s ruling party believe that black magic is being used to aggravate the feud.

Party MLC Udayaveer Singh was suspended last Saturday after he accused chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s stepmother of practicing black magic in order to create a rift between the CM and his father –party supremoMulayam Singh.

Singh’s suspension, however, has done little to curb the speculation that some people are using ‘tantra-mantra’ to wage a rift between Akhilesh and Mulayam.

“In the past month, several attempts were made to normalise the father-son duo’s relationship but each time it seemed like things were improving, an ominous incident took place and disturbed the bond. It’s all due to black magic,” a senior SP leader said.

A party office-bearer said it appeared that Akhilesh and uncle Shivapal Yadav had buried the hatchet during a meeting called by Mulayam at the party’s state office. But the row was exacerbated when Akhilesh and Shivpal’s supporters clashed.

“It seems some magical power is trying to aggravate the problem,” the office-bearer said.

According to political observer AK Mishra, superstation has remained an integral part of UP’s politics with a number of leaders using tantriks in an attempt to trump their opponents.

“There was speculation that former CMs Vir Bahadur Singh, Kalyan Singh and Ram Prakash Gupta sought blessings from tantriks and performed special prayers at their residence to remain in power,” he said.

...Each time it seemed like things were improving (between Akhilesh and Mulayam Singh Yadav), an ominous incident took place and disturbed the bond (between them). It’s all due to black magic. A SENIOR SP LEADER