CM Akhilesh Yadav Expelled from party, Samajwadi Party Set To Split
LUCKNOW : Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav dropped a bombshell on Friday evening expelling his son and chief minister Akhilesh Yadav from the party just ahead of crucial elections in Uttar Pradesh.
He has also expelled his cousin and senior party leader Ram Gopal Yadav for the second time in months, accused him of “spoiling the career of the chief minister.” The Samajwadi Party chief said both Akhilesh and Ram Gopal have been sacked for weakening the party.
“I made Akhilesh chief minister… and now he does not even consult me,” said the father as he announced the son’s expulsion, adding that he was sacking the son to “save the party.” Mr Singh would not immediately say who will be chief minister in place of Akhilesh Yadav. Elections in UP are expected to be announced any day now.
Hundreds of party workers supporters have gathered outside Akhilesh Yadav’s Lucknow residence raising slogans in his support. All eyes are now on a party meeting called by Akhilesh Yadav through uncle Ram Gopal on Sunday, January 1.
Sources said about 80 per cent of the Samajwadi party’s 224 lawmakers in the UP assembly support Akhilesh Yadav and are likely to turn up. A high alert has been sounded across Uttar Pradesh after the ongoing war in the ruling SP turned for worse on Friday with expulsion of CM Akhilesh Yadav and Ram Gopal Yadav.
Officials said instructions have been sent to all District Magistrates and police chiefs following protests by Akhilesh supporters. Security meanwhile has been beefed up outside the SP headquarters in the state capital, the Chief Minister’s residence, and the house of party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Tomorrow promises much dramatic action too. At 9.30 am the chief minister has reportedly asked all Samajwadi Party lawmakers to meet him at his 5 Kalidas Marg residence about a kilometre away in Lucknow.
Many of them will also be required attend a meeting called by Mulayam Singh Yadav at his residence of all candidates named by him for the UP elections earlier this week. For both father and son, the turnout at these meetings will test who has the more support in the party.
On Friday, Sunday’s meeting called by Ram Gopal Yadav became the tipping point for the party which has been on the verge of a split for many months now owing to a bitter battle for control between the 43-year-old chief minister and his uncle Shivpal Yadav. Mulayam Singh has consistently sided with his brother often subjecting his son to humiliation with snubs delivered publicly.
It was earlier this week when Mulayam Singh announced a list of candidates for the UP elections that excluded several of Akhilesh Yadav’s key aides, including some ministers. It included many candidates recommended by Shivpal Yadav, who replaced Akhilesh as the party’s UP chief recently, some of them with criminal records whose nomination the chief minister had fiercely opposed.
Akhilesh Yadav first attempted to convince his father to reconsider his decision and then released a parallel list of 235 candidates on Thursday.
Today, Mulayam Singh Yadav issued a show cause notice asking his son why disciplinary action should not be taken against him for releasing that list. Less than an hour later, he sacked him. Only the party chief can call an emergency meeting, Mulayam Singh said, appealing to party workers not to attend.
In the first reaction from his son’s camp, Ram Gopal Yadav, known as Professor in the party, threw the rulebook at Mulayama Singh, accusing him of acting against the constitution of the party. He said Sunday’s meeting is on.
In a letter to party leaders, the party`s Uttar Pradesh chief Shivpal Singh Yadav says the convention was unconstitutional and that they should not travel to the state capital for it or sign any papers with regard to it. He went on to state that anyone from the party who would be participating in the meeting will be considered working against the party and face action.
UP Governor Ram Naik says developments in Samajwadi Party intra-party issue, I am keeping a watch.
Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav calls for a meeting with all MLAs at 9 AM tomorrow. 100 Samajwadi Party MLAs reach Akhilesh Yadav’s residence to chalk out future strategy.
Supporters gather outside Akhilesh Yadav’s residence, raise slogans in his support after SP Chief expels UP CM for 6 years from the party. Protesters tear down the posters of Shivpal Singh Yadav.
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