SP MEN ALLEGE BLACK MAGIC BEHIND RIFT

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 relationship between father and son 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 their supporters clashed. LUCKNOW: Late socialist icon Ram Manohar Lohia’s famous quote, “I will be known after my death” (Mujhe jaanoge mere marne ke baad), is now being attributed to shrewd Mulayam Singh Yadav by his Samajwadi Party workers as well as old guards, who are finding it difficult to understand the real game plan of their Netaji.

As speculations fly thick and fast, senior SP leaders find solace in silence even after long deliberations in all relevant political quarters.

Party MP Reoti Raman Singh has a brief answer to the prolonged and widespread confusion in the party: Everything will be amicably resolved within a few days.

Mulayam had stopped short of announcing Akhilesh as the CM face on Tuesday. “He is CM today, does anyone have any objection?” he had said in the presence of brother Shivpal, who had wanted Mulayam to take charge two months ahead of the elections. Instead, Mulayam made it clear that re-induction of sacked ministers will be the CM’S prerogative, though till now all major decisions have been taken by the patriarch.

Although Mulayam insisted that legislators elect their own leader in a democratic set-up, the fact is the 76-year-old leader had faced tougher time in handing over the baton to Akhilesh in 2012. Shivpal and other senior leaders had opposed it tooth and nail.

Today, Akhilesh, 43, has