Mulayam, Shivpal skip key SP state convention

The Samajwadi Party inched closer to a split with party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav staying away from the party’s state convention held here on Saturday.

The two leaders said that they were not invited to the convention of the party which they had founded in 1992.

“I did not get any invitation or information,” Shivpal Yadav said.

The official posters of the event also did not include Mulayam Singh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav, giving a clear indication that there was no place for them in the party now.

The state convention saw a realignment of forces within the party as senior SP leader Azam Khan not only attended the event, but also attacked “people who have betrayed the party”.

It was obvious that the reference was to Shivpal Yadav, his one-time friend and confidant.

Another surprise presence was that of Beni Prasad Varma, SP MP, whose inclusion into the party last year was said to have triggered off a battle within the family.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday cautioned his supporters against “fake samajwadis”, signalling fresh strain in the party’s top ranks. Akhilesh, however, struck an emotional note when he said that, “Netaji (Mulayam) is my father and this party belongs to him. His blessings are with us and we will carry forward his legacy. My father has always been with us and will remain with us.” Mr Yadav, in his address, said that the people of Uttar Pradesh were already regretting the fact that they had voted for the BJP in such large numbers.

“The BJP government in the state and Centre has betrayed farmers by not fulfilling the promises made to them before elections. Their loan waiver scheme is a farce. Development is not the core agenda of BJP,” he said. Continuing his attack on the BJP, Akhilesh said, “The BJP claims that the Lucknow Metro is a dream project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Everyone knows who brought the Metro to UP.”