Rift widens, Shivpal replaces Akhilesh as SP chief in UP

The rift within the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh widened on Tuesday as party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav replaced his son and Chief Minister Akhilesh as the state unit chief with his brother and senior minister Shivpal Singh Yadav.

“SP President Mulayam Singh Yadav has appointed you as the president of the Uttar Pradesh unit. It is hoped that with your hard work, you will further strengthen the party,” SP National General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav said in a letter addressed to Shivpal Singh Yadav. A copy of the letter was also marked to Akhilesh Yadav.

The development came hours after Akhilesh shunted out state Chief Secretary Deepak Singhal, considered close to Shivpal Singh, and replaced him with Rahul Bhatnagar. Singhal had taken over as Chief Secretary nearly two months ago.

Disagreements between Akhilesh and Shivpal have been reported on several occasions in the past, including on the choice of official to be appointed as the state’s chief secretary after Alok Ranjan’s term ended, and the postponement of Qaumi Ekta Dal’s merger with SP. QED is headed by mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari.

Samajwadi Party leaders in Lucknow said, Shivpal may quit the Akhilesh Yadav cabinet in the coming days and concentrate on party affairs ahead of assembly polls slated early next year. After returning to SP’s fold recently, Amar singh had been siding with Shivpal and attacking Akhilesh and Ram Gopal.

The leaders said Akhilesh had been resisting “backseat driving” by Shivpal and senior leader Mohd Azam Khan in running the government.

“The decision to hand over the charge of the state unit to Shivpal is a clear indication that while Akhilesh will concentrate in governance, Shivpal will prepare party for the coming Assembly elections...Shivpal has a better political acumen,” a senior leader said.

In an image-refurbishing exercise ahead of Assembly elections, Akhilesh had yesterday cracked the whip on two ministers –Mining minister Gayatri Prajapati and Panchayti Raj minister Rajkishore Singh –facing corruption charges.

While Rajkishore is considered close to Mulayam, Prajapati is reportedly Shivpal’s favourite.

Last month, Mulayam had backed Shivpal in his tussle with Akhilesh and took on the state government stating that several cabinet ministers were involved in illegal money deals. Mulayam’s remarks had come a day after Shivpal pointed at corruption within the ruling establishment and had threatened to resign. Addressing SP workers, Mulayam had said that in case the party splits, many workers will go with Shivpal.