Akhilesh Yadav defies father, strips Shivpal Yadav of key ministries

NEW DELHI/LUCKNOW: The “family feud” in the Samajwadi Party seemed to have escalated into a bitter civil war on Tuesday with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and father Mulayam Singh engaging in a strike and counter-strike in the space of a few hours.
Responding to Mulayam’s decision to install brother Shivpal Yadav as UP party chief in his place, Akhilesh hit back hard by sacking his uncle from all ministerial portfolios barring wasteland development.
Akhilesh’s removal came after he shunted out Deepak Singhal, a Shivpal favourite, from the post of chief secretary on Tuesday. On Monday, he had sacked two ministers, Gayatri Prajapati and Rajkishore Singh, both Shivpal loyalists, disregarding the counsel of his father and uncle.
Mulayam hit back, appointing Shivpal as UP party chief, in effect sacking Akhilesh from the post.
Removed as UP party chief on Tuesday, Akhilesh Yadav did not take long to respond and asserted his prerogative as CM to clip the wings of his uncle, Shivpal, Mulayam’s favourite sibling.
The jousting brought out in the open the tension which had been simmering for long.In June, Akhilesh had sabotaged Shivpal’s move for an alliance with controversial politicians banded under Qaumi Ekta Dal. Akhilesh has been increasingly asserting himself as chief minister, but Shivpal refused to forego his claim to be Mulayam's legatee.
Mulayam, who had so far been trying a balancing act, appeared to have come out firmly on Shivpal’s side on Tuesday by giving him charge of the party. This position would see him play a key role in the selection of nominees for next year’s assembly polls.
There were indications that the fighting would escalate and Shivpal might quit the Akhilesh government to work and assert himself as the Mulayam-backed state party chief, a scenario fraught with the prospect of a conflict between the government and the organisation.
Mulayam’s response to Akhilesh’s latest strike will be interesting. As the national party chief, he has the power to call a meeting of the SP’s legislators and ask Akhilesh to seek a fresh vote from them in case he thinks his son has crossed the line.