Udayveer Singh had asked Akhilesh Yadav to be made party national president and given all the powers
Highlights
- Udayveer Singh has been expelled from the party for six years
- He had written letter to Mulayam Singh claiming he was misled by Shivpal
- Udayveer had also attacked Shivpal for tie up with Quami Ekta Dal
The battle within the first family of the Samajwadi Party shows no sign of abating. Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav today met top leaders including warring son and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and brother and party's Uttar Pradesh chief Shivpal Yadav to broker peace.
After the meet, while some leaders indicated that a truce announcement is likely - Akhilesh Yadav's rival camp fired another salvo. Party legislator and another supporter of the chief minister, Udayveer Singh (an MLC), who had accused Mulayam Singh's second wife of being part of the conspiracy against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and had said the party patriarch needed to make way, was expelled from the Samajwadi Party.
Tension between his son and brother had escalated today morning when Akhilesh Yadav met district heads of the party. Shivpal had called these leaders yesterday for a meet and Akhilesh had skipped the meet. Though Shivpal had announced that Akhilesh would be the chief ministerial pick if the party returns to power, Akhilesh had indicated that he was not ready to accept the terms being set by his uncle.
The expelled leader Udayveer Singh had taken the battle between Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav to the doors of the CM's stepmother and second wife of Netaji, Sadhna Gupta.
"Udayveer Singh has been expelled from the party for six years for his undignified and indisciplined behaviour," state party spokesman Ambika Chaudhary said.
Last week, Udayveer Singh, who was elected from the SP stronghold of Etah-Mainpuri, had in a four-page letter to Mulayam Singh Yadav directly put the blame of the conspiracy against Akhilesh Yadav on Sadhna Gupta and written that the efforts to dishonour Akhilesh began after Mulayam Singh proposed his name for the CM's post. Udayveer Singh's letter was "unprecedented," a senior SP leader said.
A part of the letter said "As this information came out in the open that you want Akhilesh to become the CM of the state, conspiracies started within the family. And that 'personal jealousies were behind the conspiracy.'"
The Akhilesh supporter in his letter further claimed that Mulayam Singh, under pressure from the anti-Akhilesh group, pulled up the chief minister several times in full public view, but being an obedient son, Akhilesh never reacted despite the embarrassment.
The letter also sought Mulayam Singh Yadav to step aside and let Akhilesh Yadav run the Samajwadi party. He ended his letter by saying "When you (Mulayam Singh) were chief minister, you had the power to take all decisions related to the party. Likewise, you should consider giving full control to Akhilesh Yadavji."
Udayveer Singh's expulsion is yet another blow to the Chief Minister. Over the last 15 days many of his loyalists have either been stripped of their posts or have been completely marginaliased.
This battle is now heading towards a showdown on Monday when Mulayam Singh will meet all the Samajwadi Party legislators, MLCs, lawmakers and other top leaders. While a section of leaders wants to use the meet to create a show of strength in favour of Akhilesh Yadav, the rival faction is expected to back Shivpal Yadav by reposing faith in the party chief.