Differences crop up between Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav over merger of Qaumi Ekta Dal with SP

NEW DELHI: Qaumi Ekta Dal, the party floated by the Mukhtar Ansari’s family merged with the Samajwadi Party on Tuesday, sans Mukhtar himself, as a factional feud within the SP, saw CM Akhilesh Yadav putting his foot down against the don-turned-politician’s entry into SP.

Mukhtar’s two brothers MLA Sibaghtullah and Afazal Ansari joined the SP in the presence of senior minister Shivpal Yadav, and stressed that Mukhtar, who is currently in jail was not part of the merger.

Not that the two brothers have turned against Mukhtar, but the rather ingenious way of announcing the merger with QED, was necessitated due to one SP faction led by Akhilesh insisting to keep Mukhtar out to avoid a bad name for the SP.

However another powerful faction led by Akhilesh’s uncle and senior minister Shivpal Yadav leaned in favour of Mukhtar touting the following of Mukhtar among a section of people and minorities. Eastern UP leaders like Abu Azmi (currently MLA from Maharashtra), Balram Yadav, Ambika Chowdhry and Narad Rai had lobbied in favour of Mukhtar, with the SP top brass including Shivpal.

Within hours of QED merger being announced by Shivpal, the inner tussle within the SP on the issue, saw sudden sacking of SP veteran and Education minister Balram Yadav. Party sources claimed that Balram Yadav was sacked by CM AKhilesh Yadav for lobbying in favour of Mukhtar. An SP old-timer Balram Yadav had been working on SP leaders pointing out how SP would benefit with Mukhtar Ansari’s joining.

Akhilesh Yadav made his displeasure known against the QED merger when he said “if our workers strengthen the party organisation till the booth level, we will form the government again, without any help form other parties”