LUCKNOW: In a rapidly changing political scenario inside ruling Samajwadi Pary with
voices of dissent getting shriller, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav released a fresh list of his own 235
candidates late on Thursday evening.
Akhilesh’s list, released from Janeshwar Mishra Trust which has come up as an alterative power centre for Team Akhilesh in the wake of the family feud, now comprises most of the names of his supporter MLAs who were denied ticket by SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Wednesday. A large number of names in Akhilesh and Mulayam lists, however, common, giving an indication that it is more of a posturing to put pressure on the SP chief than a step toward full-blown rebellion.
With the divide in Yadav family wide open and the battle of nerves between Akhilesh and his father intensified, Akhilesh asked his supporters, to be prepared and contest the upcoming state Assembly elections albeit on different symbols.
A day after Samajwadi Party Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav released a list of 325 party candidates dropping a number of names close to Akhilesh, the latter met the SP chief on Thursday noon in the presence of uncle and party’s state unit chief Shivpal Yadav, for over two hours, to register his displeasure over the denial of ticket to some of his supporters, especially the three ministers—Ram Govind Yadav, Pawan Pandey and Arind singh Gope.
The chief minister reportedly also tried to convince the party chief about the ‘winnability’ of the three and urged Mulayam to restore tickets to them but failed to get any concrete assurance from Mulayam.
Therafter, Akhilesh held another round of meeting with his loyalists and late in the evening, his team
released an unsigned list to the media.
Earlier, in the day, Akhilesh first had a meeting with his loyal MLAs followed by closed door parleys with Mulayam and Shivpal. When the meeting among the three failed to result in any tangible outcome, the Chief Minister went into a huddle with his supporters again in the evening. It was after this meeting, that reports of ‘a fresh list of his own 167 candidates’ started doing the rounds. After this, Mulayam and Shivpal sat again together to discuss the developments.
The fresh round of feud couldn’t have come at a worse time. The polls dates are about to be announced and when the party was expected to hit the roads with the combined power, it appears badly fractured, leaving the cadre in a state of confusion. However, party Parliamentary Board General Secretary and Rajya Sabha Member Ram Gopal Yadav rejected any feud in the family saying that the clamour over the ticket distribution was a routine affair.
“The party is not in disarray, it is intact. There is no confusion among the partymen. Akhilesh Will be our CM face,” claimed Ram Gopal adding that there were, however, certain elements within the party who didnto want to see Akhilesh as Chief Minister again.
Mulayam Singh made it clear on Wednesday handed out a public snub to Akhilesh on Wednesday when he said that he had not gone by any one list. “I had received lists by many people, and I have gone by my choice," he had asserted while releasing the party list of 325 candidates to the media. Mulayam had also reiterating that SP had no tradition of projecting anyone as Chief Minister. “Legislature party will elect it leader,” SP chief had said.
However, in a retal iatory move after some hours, Akhilesh Yadav sacked two party functionaries from their government posts signalling a fight back. Both the dismissed leaders are believed to be close
to SP state chief S hivpal Yadav.