Azam Khan not to attend Samajwadi Party MLAs meeting

Lucknow: With the Samajwadi Party split down the middle between father and son, Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan won't attend the Samajwadi Party MLAs meeting today.

Sources said, Khan reached Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav`s residence and the state minister will try to resolve the ongoing issues in the party.

Khan won't attend Mulayam's meeting at party office or Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's meeting at his official bungalow.

Expressing concern over bitter infighting in the Samajwadi Party, Khan yesterday said the bad blood between members of the ruling family will add a dark chapter to its history.

Appealing to the "pivots" of the party to consider the consequences of the conflict, he said, "They should think how historians will depict the diminishing relationship between the father and the son.

Akhilesh and Samajwadi Party general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav were unceremoniously expelled by Mulayam, widening the family split.

This move comes after Akhilesh had released a list of 235 candidates out of the total 403 seats for upcoming state assembly elections on Thursday, rejecting the list announced by Mulayam Singh Yadav on Wednesday.

Akhilesh's name did not figure in the first list. Mulayam said his son being the Chief Minister, can contest from any assembly seat he wishes to.