Rebels’ stance keeps SP feud alive

CHAPTER OF DISCONTENT Mulayam’s meeting with Akhilesh, Shivpal fails to break deadlock

THE REBEL LEADERS PASSED A UNANIMOUS DECISION AT THE MEETING TO BOYCOTT THE PARTY SILVER JUBILEE CELEBRATION TO BE HELD ON NOV 5.

LUCKNOW: The decision of Akhilesh Yadav loyalists to boycott the party’s silver jubilee celebration kept the ongoing feud in the Samajwadi Party (SP) alive on Wednesday.

Upset over the rebel SP leaders’ decision, party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav refused to withdraw their expulsion, forcing chief minister Akhilesh Yadav to announce the launch of Samajwadi Vikas Ratha Yatra from November 3 on his own.

Mulayam held a meeting with Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Singh Yadav at 5 Vikramaditya Marg (Mulayam’s residence) on Wednesday to discuss the rebels’ stand and prepare for the silver jubilee programme.

Talking to HT, a senior SP leader said Akhilesh Yadav demanded withdrawal of the expulsion order, reinstatement of the frontal organisation heads and a say in ticket distribution. Mulayam Singh Yadav expressed his displeasure over the meeting called by the rebel leaders at the Janeshwar Mishra Trust on Tuesday. The rebel leaders passed a unanimous decision at the meeting to boycott the party silver jubilee celebration to be held on November 5.

“It’s an open defiance of the top leadership by the rebels considered close to Akhilesh Yadav,” said a senior SP office bearer who refused to be named. After coming out of the meeting, Akhilesh Yadav went to his official residence at 5-Kalidas Marg and sent a letter to Mulayam, informing him that he would launch his election campaign on November 3, two days before the silver jubilee celebration. It clearly showed that Akhilesh would not participate in the party silver jubilee programme though Mulayam Singh Yadav had planned to celebrate it in a grand manner, observers said. He has already put cabinet minister Gayatri Prajapati, his loyalist, in-charge of the organisation committee.

Sources said the rebel group got a shot in the arm after SP national general secretary Ramgopal Yadav expressed his inability to participate in the silver jubilee.

Though Ramgopal was not available for comment, leaders close to him said he might not attend the function due to prior engagements.

State unit president Shival Singh Yadav said the party’s national chief would decide the fate of the rebel leaders.

The preparation for the silver jubilee celebration had started and the organising committee of the event would send an invitation to all the senior leaders as well as leaders of the rival political parties, he said.