Samajwadi Party shows internal cracks as feud surfaces between CM Akhilesh Yadav and uncle Shivpal Yadav

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Tuesday effected a delicate power balancing in his family when he handed over UP party presidentship to his brother Shivpal Yadav but gave control of the government to his son Akhilesh Yadav, divested of the party post, by asking Shivpal to quit the ministry.

The move came on the same day as when chief minister Akhilesh Yadav sacked chief secretary Deepak Singhal, considered close to Shivpal.

Hours after Mulayam appointed Shivpal Yadav as the state SP president it became evident that the latter was not just giving up portfolios but quitting his nephew’s government.

Shivpal, who was holding over half-a-dozen plum ministerial portfolios, was divested off all responsibilities by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav in a late night development.

Mulayam Singh’s action has made it clear that he backs his younger brother Shivpal in matters related to real politics, while giving a free hand to his son in running the last few months of his government before the assembly polls.