‘Taken over’ SP district units, claim Akhilesh supporters

A DAY after Akhilesh Yadav’s camp seized control of the Samajwadi Party state headquarters in Lucknow, supporters claimed to have followed suit in Hathras, Hardoi and other places. Camp followers said they have taken control of the party offices in these districts, where the district presidents and office-bearers are seen as loyal to Shivpal Yadav.

In Hathras, a large group of SP workers chanting anti-shivpal slogans claimed to have broken into the party office and to have taken it over. The group was led by local leader Moolchand Nigam. “The new party president will decide who will take charge here and the office will be under our control until then,” said Nigam.

Omwati Yadav, the incumbent district president, insisted that she still holds the post and that Akhilesh bhaiya had appointed her. She said she would sit in her office Tuesday.

At the Samajwadi Party offics in Hardoi district, too, Akhilesh supporters reportedly broke the locks of the party office and “took over”. The party’s city unit president, Waseem Siddiqui, led the march to the office of district president Ram Kashyap, who had been appointed by Shivpal last month. Chanting slogans such as “Akhilesh Yadav zindabad ”and“Shivpal murdabad”, the mob also tore posters of Shivpal.

In Pilibhit, it was supporters of Shivpal who locked the party office after Akhilesh had been declared national president. All three SP MLAS from Pilibhit and district unit chief Anand Singh Yadav were in Lucknow Monday. “I am in Lucknow, which is why the party office is locked. It will be reopened tomorrow,” said Anand Singh Yadav.