Akhilesh Yadav congratulates Samajwadi Party state president Shivpal Yadav, appeals supporters to stop protests

Lucknow: A day after Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav brokered a part peace deal between Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and senior party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav, it was announced that Shivpal would continue to remain as the party state president.

As part of the compromise formula, Akhilesh Yadav ​returned all the portfolios, except the important PWD ministry, withdrawn from hsi uncle and senior Samajwadi Party leader earlier this week.

Sacked mining minister Gayatri Prajapati will be taken back in the UP Cabinet and will soon take oath.

In a bid to end the raging feud in the family, Mulayam Singh Yadav worked on the compromise formula. His brother Shivpal Yadav and son Akhilesh Yadav had on Friday said they would comply with whatever Samajwadi Party supremo says.

Meanwhile, the truce brokered between Akhilesh and Shivpal turned out to be short-lived, as supporters of both the leaders hit the streets on Saturday.

Akhilesh Yadav's supporters, who gathered outside Mulayam's residence demand that Akhilesh be made UP chief of Samajwadi Party again.

Donning red caps and carrying posters of the Chief Minister and his wife Dimple Yadav, the supporters started for the party office this morning, raising slogans like "Akhilesh ko adyaksh banao" (make Akhilesh the state president), saying only "Akhilesh bhaiya could lead the party".

In Allahabad, Akhilesh's supporters were seen carrying placards, which read: ‘Chacha ko hatao, SP ko bachao’.

There was a scuffle between security staff of Mulayam and Akhilesh's supporters as the protesters tried to gherao Mulayam's residence on Vikramaditya Marg.

Meanwhile, addressing a press conference here, Akhilesh appealed to his supporters to stop protest and not put up banners or carry placards against anybody.

"I have congratulated state party president Shivpal Yadav appointed by Netaji, I appeal to the supporters to stop the protests and work for the party," Akhilesh said

"We are united, there is no rift in Samajwadi Party," the Uttar Pradesh CM asserted.

While mentioning the projects launched by his government, he said "Politics is not a game, it is a serious business."

He urged the SP workers to work hard and educate the people of Uttar Pradesh about the development projects initiated by his government.

According to insiders, while initially Akhilesh bowed down to his father's decision, he continues to be reluctant to give space to his uncle Shivpal in the party, as he fears he could lose out on selection of party candidates for the 2017 state polls.

Akhilesh laid bare his angst while participating in a news channel program, saying he "felt bad" after being removed as Samajwadi Party state president and demanded that he be given a say in ticket distribution for the 2017 Assembly election.