In a major organisational restructuring, the Samajwadi Party's chief whip in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Kamal Akhtar was asked to resign from the post by party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
Akhtar is an SP MLA from Kanth in Moradabad district.
He was made SP's chief whip subsequent to party MLA Manoj Pandey resigning from the post in 2024 after he sided with the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls.
After tendering his resignation, Akhtar said he was not upset with the decision and would continue to follow the orders of the party chief.
"I have always followed whatever directions I got from the national president, Akhilesh Yadav ji. Whatever direction he will give will be followed," told PTI.
Later, talking to reporters on the matter, he said organisational changes were a continuous process in every political party.
"No post is permanent. Just as the term of the legislature comes to an end and people are replaced by new faces, the same process applies to organisational positions.
"My leader, Akhilesh Yadav, directed me that I should no longer work in this post and that the responsibility should be given to new people. As a party worker, it is my duty to abide by his instructions," he said.
"Why should I be upset? A person feels upset only when he considers himself a leader. I have always considered myself a party worker. For the last 30 years, I have been with the Samajwadi Party, raising slogans of 'Akhilesh Yadav Zindabad' and 'Mulayam Singh Yadav Zindabad', and I will continue to do so," he added.
Asked who is expected to get the responsibility, Akhtar said the party national leadership will decide who should be given the responsibility.
"I am confident that a capable person will be chosen, and all of us will extend our full support to him," he said.
About his reported differences with party MP Ruchi Veera, he said, "It would be better if you ask her. As far as I am concerned, I don't think there has been any issue."
(With inputs from PTI)
