How party whispers kicked off tit-for-tat sackings in UP

LUCKNOW: When Mulayam Singh Yadav attended a glittering do hosted by long-time associate and party MP Amar Singh at a Delhi 5-star hotel on Sunday night, little did he know it would trigger a family feud, endangering his party's prospects months ahead of the assembly elections.

The avalanche of trouble got activated at this party, attended by Mulayam's younger brother Shivpal Yadav and former chief secretary (sacked by CM Akhilesh Yadav after the event) Deepak Singhal. Akhilesh, who's always had reservations over Amar Singh's proximity to Mulayam and his return to SP, was not present.

At the gathering, Amar Singh, in Singhal's presence, is learnt to have told Mulayam that CBI was zeroing in on Gayatri Prajapati, then state mining minister and his arrest could spell trouble for the family, party and the government.

On Monday, Mulayam called Amar Singh and Singhal to his Delhi residence, insiders told TOI. When both stood by what they had said the previous night, Mulayam apparently called Akhilesh and asked him to change the portfolios of Prajapati and Raj Kishore Singh. Akhilesh, unhappy with both, sacked them.

On Tuesday, Prajapati met Mulayam in Delhi. He insisted that Amar Singh and Singhal's claims were baseless.

Sources close to the party supremo said Gayatri convinced Mulayam that he was being made a victim of injustice. This made Mulayam ask Akhilesh to remove Singhal. The CM, said to be displeased with Singhal, followed the orders.

Stung by the action, Singhal rushed to Mulayam and clarified that he did not have a view on the ministers. He had been merely listening to Amar Singh.

Soon Amar Singh, in Lucknow till Tuesday forenoon, flew to Delhi and met Mulayam, and pleaded with him to reinstate Singhal. It is learnt that Mulayam called Akhilesh again on Tuesday, asking him to reinstate Singhal, Prajapati and Raj Kishore Singh.

Akhilesh turned down the request, sources said, saying this would send out a wrong message so close to the polls and ahead of his state-wide campaign. Mulayam then tried to rope in cousin Ram Gopal Yadav to convince Akhilesh. But the CM held his ground.

Annoyed, Mulayam got him removed from the state president's post and handed it over to Shivpal Yadav. Akhilesh hit back stripping Shivpal of key portfolios - PWD, irrigation, co-operatives and revenue. Shivpal, who was at Etawah, left for Delhi on Wednesday and met Mulayam.