Yadav family feud: Shivpal says ‘parivar vyakti’ colluding with BJP

Sacked UP cabinet minister Shivpal Yadav said the party would fight elections under party supremo Mulayam’s leadership, and not state chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, while accusing a ‘family member’ of colluding with the BJP.

Hours after chief minister Akhilesh Yadav fired his uncle Shivpal Yadav from the Uttar Pradesh cabinet, the Samajwadi Party (SP) state chief seemed dismissive of the incident.

Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav with party's state chief and his brother Shivpal at a press conference in Lucknow earlier this month. (PTI File)

Speaking from the party office on Sunday afternoon, Shivpal said he was not worried about his being sacked, but levelled accusations against an unnamed party leader for colluding with the BJP.

Read | Akhilesh Yadav sacks 4 ministers, including uncle Shivpal, from UP cabinet

“Parivaar ke Vyakti (a member of the family), due to fear of CBI, is trying to break the party in collusion with BJP. He has met BJP leaders thrice. Communal forces are extremely divisive and out to damage the party. Akhilesh ji is not able to comprehend all this,” he said, in a seeming reference to Ramgopal Yadav, the SP’s national general secretary supporting Akhilesh.

“We all must stay strong and work for the elections. The last polls (in 2012) were contested under Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav)’s leadership and this poll too will be contested under him for victory,” he added.

Read | Shivpal Singh Yadav: Mulayam’s right hand man faces rough ride

The Samajwadi Party has been caught in the Yadav family feud since June after Akhilesh sacked a senior Yadav leader, Balram Yadav, for his role in the Quami Ekta Dal. As matters escalated, it led to party supremo Mulayam stepping in to create a tenuous truce between his son and brother. However, the peace was only temporary.

After his decision to sack his uncle was announced, Akhilesh clarified that he would follow his father.

“I am Netaji’s son. Will always be with him. I have no intention of splitting the party,” the younger Yadav said. He, nevertheless, levelled accusations of his own against Amar Singh, an MP and confidant of the party’s patriarch, saying he was damaging the SP.

Apart from Shivpal, Akhilesh sacked three other cabinet ministers, including former actor Jaya Prada, a protege of Amar Singh.

The family feud comes at a time parties such as the BJP, Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party are fighting tooth and nail to win favour ahead of the state assembly elections early next year. The state has the maximum number of seats in the Lok Sabha, and will significantly boost whichever party wins majority.