Pawan Pandey, a minister in Akhilesh government, expelled from Samajwadi Party

NEW DELHI: Faizabad MLA Tejnarayan Pandey alias Pawan Pandey, who is also a minister in Akhilesh Yadav government, was expelled from the Samajwadi Party for a period of six years for indiscipline.

The party has taken action against the minister after SP MLC Ashu Mallik accused him (Pandey) of slapping him (Ashu Mallik). Pawan is considered to be close to Akhilesh camp while Mallik is said to be a supporter of Shivpal camp.

Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, SP’s state president Shivpal Singh Yadav said he has requested the Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to drop Pandey from the ministry.

Today’s development within SP clearly showed that there is no end to crisis within the party despite SP national president Mulayam Singh’s several meetings with CM Akhilesh and State president Shivpal.

It is to be seen if CM Akhilesh will go by the request of state party president Shivpal and drop the minister Pawan from the ministry in view of his party’s decision to expel him (Pawan).

It is the same Pawan who had defeated BJP candidate Lallu Singh in politically significant Ayodhya seat of Faizabad district in 2012 assembly polls.