‘Minister’ today, just ‘mister’ tomo: Shivpal’s nameplate brings comic relief

The changing nameplates at sacked Uttar Pradesh minister Shivpal Yadav’s official residence in Lucknow on Wednesday brought the much needed comic relief amid the tense moments being witnessed in the Samajwadi Party.

The changing nameplates at sacked Uttar Pradesh minister Shivpal Yadav’s official residence in Lucknow on Wednesday brought the much needed comic relief amid the tense moments being witnessed in the Samajwadi Party.

The ugly power struggle in the family was sparked by Shivpal’s elevation as the state SP president replacing Akhilesh last month and has threatened to derail the ruling party’s prospects in the assembly polls due early next year. (PTI)

Shivpal, who is also the SP’s state president, got his ‘UP minister’ nameplate removed from 7, Kalidas Marg, two houses away from Akhilesh’s official residence. The new nameplate just read ‘Shivpal Yadav’ without the ‘minister’ written below his name.

The order to remove the nameplate was followed while Shivpal was at the party office addressing a brief impromptu press conference over the possibility of a ‘mahagathbandhan’ or a grand alliance in the upcoming assembly polls.

When reporters asked Shivpal if the change in the nameplate meant he would vacate his official residence, he replied: “Yes, tomorrow”.

Shivpal said he would rejoin the ministry if party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav asked him to do so.

However, just as the news of Akhilesh’s departure to the governor house came in, the old nameplate was quickly restored in anticipation of Shivpal’s reinduction.

In several rounds of tit-for-tat sackings, Akhilesh threw out his uncle Shivpal and three other “pro-Amar Singh” ministers from his team on Sunday. Mulayam then dismissed his cousin and SP general secretary Ramgopal Yadav, who has backed Akhilesh in the family feud, from the party for six years.

It was the second time in a month that Akhilesh had acted against Shivpal. He stripped Shivpal of his portfolios but gave them back after Mulayam managed an uneasy truce between his feuding son and brother.

However, despite a claim of unity party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Wednesday expelled one of Akhilesh’s minister Pawan Pandey from the party on charges of indiscipline.