Akhilesh Yadav faces resentment from within SP

Cracks have appeared in the Samajwadi Party's unity after its failure to win the assembly elections. After senior SP leader Shivpal Yadav resented his exclusion for a crucial meeting of the party and senior SP MP Shafiqur Rahman Barq accused SP of 'not working for Muslims', a member from the Azam Khan camp has now accused Akhilesh Yadav of 'not raising a loud enough voice' for the Muslim cause, 'as exemplified by Yadav's decision to not make Khan the leader of opposition'.

At a meeting of SP functionaries and workers of Rampur on Sunday, SP's Rampur media in charge, Fasahat Ali Khan, known to be close to Azam Khan, lashed out at Yadav for 'staying mum' while "Muslims were sent to jail, their properties attached in the wake of anti-CAA, NRC protests and recoveries ordered". SP won 111 seats from 'votes of Muslims' and the community 'had contributed hugely' in making both Yadav and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh CMs.

Yet, Akhilesh 'did not have the large heartedness' to make Azam Khan the leader of opposition, Ali Khan alleged. " Adityanath was right in saying that Akhilesh does not want Azam Khan out of jail."