Will remain in party, crackdown on conspirators: Akhilesh

LUCKNOW: In a

crackdown

on who he called '

conspirators

', UP chief minister

Akhilesh

Yadav sacked five ministers, including his uncle

Shivpal Yadav

, from his cabinet on Sunday. The decision was taken after a meeting of legislators at the CM residence in the morning.

MLAs who attended the meeting said that Akhilesh announced at the meeting that all those close to the party RS member Amar Singh would be shown the door. Later, he sent a letter of recommendation to Governor Ram Naik for sacking Shivpal, Narad Rai, Shadab Fatima and OP Singh.

In all, about 170 MLAs attended the meeting called by the CM. The ministers who were sacked had not been invited for the MLA meeting. The CM reportedly told the MLAs at the meeting that the conspiracy against him was hatched at a party hosted by Amar Singh in Delhi last month

He also reportedly told them that he won't leave the party but will crack down on conspirators and go on 'Rath Yatra,' and also attend SP silver jubilee celebrations on November 5.

This in a way puts the ball in

Mulayam

Singh Yadav's court. As the national president, if he goes with his son, he will have to sacrifice his brother Shivpal and close confidant Amar Singh, who Akhilesh blames for all the mess.

If not, then he will have to take action against his son, which may force Akhilesh to look for life beyond SP.

Last month, after the feud broke out in the party, Akhilesh had divested Shivpal of four key portfolios after Mulayam removed him from the post of state chief. However, he was given back the portfolios, barring PWD, as part of the peace formula suggested by Mulayam.

On Sunday, Akhilesh removed him altogether.