Mulayam firefights in party row

Samajwadi Party leader in desperate attempt to restore truce in the family

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav yesterday met Uttar Pradesh’s chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav, and his own brother, Shivpal Singh Yadav, in a desperate attempt to restore truce in the family-owned party.

Addressing party workers here after meeting the two warring leaders separately, Mulayam Singh also said the Samajwadi Party would not split as long as he is around.

Having already rejected Shivpal Yadav’s resignation as the state party chief, Mulayam Singh added that Akhilesh Yadav would call on Shivpal, the chief minister’s uncle.

The Yadav patriarch, a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and a former Indian Defence Minister, ruled out any major differences between Shivpal Yadav, Ram Gopal Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav.

But Mulayam Singh’s comments notwithstanding, it was clear that the cracks within the Samajwadi Party remained.

As Shivpal Yadav’s supporters shouted slogans against Akhilesh Yadav, the chief minister indicated that Shivpal Yadav would get back all his cabinet posts.

Shivpal Yadav yesterday told his supporters that he would always stand by Mulayam Singh but made no mention of Akhilesh Yadav and asked the gathering not to do anything that hurts the party’s image.

The war within the Samajwadi Party erupted on Tuesday when Akhilesh Yadav ousted the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary, a Shivpal Yadav protege, after earlier showing the door to Prajapati.

Mulayam Singh Yadav then replaced Akhilesh Yadav as the state party chief with Shivpal Yadav. Hours later, a furious chief minister took away key portfolios held by Shivpal Yadav.