CM Akhilesh Yadav breaks silence, tells father to take back his boys

LUCKNOW: Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has demanded that youth leaders and MLCs expelled from his party be reinstated, two days after Samajwadi Party general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav said the same in an interview to ET.
When asked about Ram Gopal Yadav’s demand, at a function in Lucknow on Tuesday, the CM said: These youth leaders are our strength and Samajwadis.

They have a lot of expectations from us. They raised slogans in my favour but not against any other leader. So I will ask the experienced leadership of our party to reinstate them." The SP brass had accused the youth leaders of raising anti-Mulayam and anti-Shivpal slogans earlier.

This was the first time Akhilesh Yadav spoke about the youth leaders owing allegiance to him after their expulsion. They were expelled early last week by newly-appointed state SP chief Shivpal Yadav.

Feud broke out in the SP after party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav appointed younger brother Shivpal as the new state chief, replacing son CM Akhilesh Yadav, who held the post. Shortly afterwards, the CM divested Shivpal of all important ministries that he held. Shivpal hit back by sacking seven youth wing office-bearers, including three MLCs belonging to Akhilesh’s camp. He also accepted the resignation of more than a hundred office-bearers who expressed support to the youth leaders. A fragile peace was restored when Shivpal Yadav was handed back all his ministries, except the heavyweight PWD department.

"The youth leaders have given more than a decade of their life to the party. They will get us votes and should therefore be reinstated by the party. I would appeal Netaji (read Mulayam) who has forgiven even his enemies in the past, to reinstate the youth leaders," Ram Gopal Yadav had told ET, two days ago.

Akhilesh and Ram Gopal, are seen to represent the modern face of SP and on the same side. It would be interesting to watch how Mulayam and Shivpal react to the demand. The power tussle had led to Mulayam putting off his Azamgarh rally.