Akhilesh, Shivpal patch-up soon; Samajwadi Party 'compromise formula' ready, action likely against 'outsider'

Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party central leadership is reported to have prepared a compromise formula to end the ongoing bitter power tussle between two key figures of the party – Akhilesh Yadav, the Chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, and his uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav.

As per the formula, Akhilesh Yadav may be appointed as the working president of the Samajwadi Party, while his uncle Shivpal may be given back his key portfolios.

Importantly, Shivpal had refused to work under his nephew Akhilesh and conveyed this to party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav during a meeting on Wednesday.   

Talking to reporters, SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav said, ''Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav will speak to each other, everything will be resolved soon.''

''There is no deadlock, no crisis in the party,'' he added.

However, he hinted at the role of some 'outsider' in the ongoing feud in the party.

''There are some people who take advantage of Netaji's humbleness, they are not concerned about party's welfare,'' Ram Gopal Yadav said. The party may take action against them in the days to come, he added. We will take tough steps against leaders indulging in anti-party activities, he said.

He, however, said that ''no one can challenge Netaji in the party.''

There is no need for parliamentary board meeting, Netaji will decide what will happen, he added. SP chief Mulayam Singh is expected to reach Lucknow tomorrow to decide on the future course of action.

SP heavyweight and Mulayam Singh Yadav’s cousin, Ramgopal Yadav, made these remarks shortly after arriving in the state capital earlier this morning to iron out differences between his nephew and Shivpal.

Earlier, during his interaction with media, Ram Gopal Yadav said it was wrong for the party to have removed Akhilesh Yadav from the Uttar Pradesh chief’s post without consulting with him.

“Had the party asked him (Akhilesh) to quit the post in view of the elections and focus on the chief ministerial job and that he (Shivpal) will take up the state president’s job, he would have resigned,” Ramgopal, who is the SP’s general secretary and a Rajya Sabha member, told reporters.

The removal of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh as the state's party chief "led to a misunderstanding...the matter will be resolved," said Ram Gopal.

The SP was thrown into turmoil on Tuesday night after Akhilesh curtailed uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav’s powers, within hours of party patriarch Mulayam taking away the party’s state presidentship from his chief minister-son and giving it to brother Shivpal.

On Thursday, Ramgopal denied there any crisis in the party. “Sometimes, some decisions are taken that make it appear as if there is a crisis. It happens in all the parties,” he said.

He also denied reports that Mulayam had convened a meeting of the party’s parliamentary board on Thursday in Lucknow.” I am the secretary of the board. I summon meetings. I have not called any meeting,” Ramgopal said.