SP on brink of split, BJP demands trust vote in UP

A meeting of Samajwadi Party MPs and MLAs called on Monday called by party president Mulayam Singh Yadav could finally solemnize the split in the organization. The ominous signs appeared on Sunday as Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his party father Mulayam Singh were engaged in an open face-off, sacking each other’s loyalists Shivpal Yadav and Ramgopal Yadav.

While Akhilesh sacked Shivpal, his uncle and party’s state unit chief, along with three other “pro-Amar Singh” ministers from his Cabinet, his father hit back by expelling Ramgopal Yadav, pro-CM cousin and SP’s national general secretary, from the party for six years.

In a related but significant development Uttar Pradesh BJP president Keshav Prasad Maurya has written to the Governor Ram Naik claiming the Samajwadi Party government has lost majority in the house and the Chief Minister should be directed to seek a fresh mandate on the floor of the House. According to well-placed sources 183 MLAs attended the meeting called by Akhilesh Yadav. Samajwadi Party had won 224 out of 403 seats.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister has asked the Chief Secretary, the Director General of Police and the Principal Secretary to take orders only from him. The BJP on the other hand has requested the Governor to restrain Akhilesh Yadav from taking any important decision till he proves his majority on the floor of the house.

The fast-paced developments unfolded on Sunday morning when Akhilesh held a meeting of party legislators, a day ahead of a mega meeting of party MPs, MLAs, MLCs and ministers called by Mulayam where some more tough decisions were likely to be taken. After the meeting, the Chief Minister recommended to Governor Ram Naik that Shivpal Yadav, Narad Rai and Om Prakash Singh (all Cabinet ministers) and Sayeda Shadab Fatima (MoS - Independent charge) be sacked from his ministry. This was accepted immediately.

Significantly, before Akhilesh announced the sacking of Shivpal Yadav and three other ministers, Ramgopal issued a letter written to party workers, expressing support to the Chief Minister and warning those opposing him. “Those who oppose Akhilesh won’t be able to show their faces in the legislative assembly. Where Akhilesh is, victory follows,” he said in the letter.

After his sacking, Shivpal Yadav met Mulayam at his residence, which is a stone’s throw distance from that of the CM’s bungalow. Hours later, he announced that the SP chief had expelled Ramgopal from the party for six years.

Shivpal told mediapersons that Ramgopal was colluding with BJP and had thrice met a senior leader of the saffron party to save himself and his son from a CBI probe in connection with alleged involvement in the Yadav Singh Noida scam probe. He said he was not worried about being dropped from the government and declared that the state Assembly elections would be fought under leadership of Mulayam.

Launching a scathing attack on Ramgopal, Shivpal said he was tarnishing the image of SP by dabbling in corruption, colluding with BJP and weakening Mulayam’s leadership.

“On Mulayam’s directive, Ramgopal is being stripped of his posts of party spokesman and national general secretary and is being expelled from the party for six years,” Shivpal said, giving rise to intense speculation about an imminent split.