A CM shouldn’t be arrogant: Shivpal
LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party (SP) state president Shivpal Yadav, to whom the chief minister Akhilesh Yadav restored his original departments on Friday, said that whosoever is in the chief minister’s chair should not be arrogant. Akhilesh needed more experience and tactfulness, he added.
“I have seen many chief ministers in the state. Most turn arrogant and develop a massive ego. I have learnt a lot from Netaji. Akhilesh too should learn from him and me as well. Akhilesh needs more experience,” Shivpal said at the India TV conclave ‘Chunav Manch’ here on Friday evening.
Shivpal had quit all party posts, including state unit presidentship, and his ministerial position, intensifying the the crisis—both in the government and the party.
Indicating that he would continue as UP SP chief, Shivpal said, “The responsibility given to me is huge. I need to work harder as elections are near.” When asked about Akhilesh’s demand for authority to take a call on ticket distribution, Shivpal said, “How elections are fought are the prerogative of the party chief and Netaji (Mulayam) will decide on ticket distribution.”
Shivpal also defended party leader Amar Singh and said: “Amar Singh can never cause any harm to our family.”
“Outsiders are with Netaji and also with Akhilesh. There are some ministers in his cabinet who are outsiders and do no work,” he said.
When the TV anchor quizzed him about the recent developments, Shivpal said that there had been some misunderstanding and that all concerns had been addressed with Mulayam, who will take a final call tomorrow (Saturday).
On his ambition for chief ministership, Shivpal said: “I am with Netaji in politics since I was 14. I got a lot. I never imagined that I would get so much. All I wanted in life was an ordinary ‘naukri (job)’. I got that. But then I left it and became an average farmer.
I did a lot of manual farm work. Then I won an election and went on to become MLA four times and minister multiple times. I was never greedy for the chief minister’s post”. He further asserted that he would support Akhilesh for the CM’s post if the party returned to power in election next year.