Sacking of Shivpal Yadav by Akhilesh creates unprecedented situation in Samajwadi Party

LUCKNOW: Escalating the battle within his family and party, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav sacked his uncle Shivpal Yadav from the ministry.

He sent a letter to the Raj Bhawan for removing Shivpal Yadav, who holds half a dozen plum portfolios, from the government.

The sacking orders came shortly after a meeting he had convened of MLAs and ministers started at his official residence.

Apart from Shivpal his loyalists Om Prakash Singh, Shadab Fatima and Narad Rai were also sacked from the ministry. He reportedly told his supporters that those who are aligned with MP Amar Singh will not be tolerated.

The sacking of his uncle by Akhilesh has created an unprecedented situation in the SP, where the public feud between Mulayam Singh Yadav family members had been going on since August.

Akhilesh had called a meeting of MLAs and ministers at his residence where a large majority turned up. Only eight odd MLAs went to meet Shivpal, which emboldened Akhilesh and made it clear that he enjoys a huge support base within the party.

As supporters of Shivpal and Akhilesh called for a split in the party, a few seniors who tried to thrash out a compromise failed to restore order.