SP asks Amar to quit, Mohan Singh is replacement
SP appoints former MP Mohan Singh as its general secretary.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: The Samajwadi Party on Wednesday signalled its readiness to move on with life, post-Amar Singh, when it appointed former MP Mohan Singh as its general secretary-cum-national spokesman and asked Mr Amar Singh to quit his Rajya Sabha seat on moral grounds.
Soon after taking over his new responsibility, Mr Mohan Singh, a veteran Socialist leader, asked his estranged party colleague to resign from the Rajya Sabha. Mr Amar Singh reacted to the demand by saying that he would not resign his Rajya Sabha seat and would prefer to be expelled from the party.
``Since Mr Amar Singh resigned as the party general secretary, member of parliamentary board and spokesperson, he has already detached himself from the party. Rajya Sabha membership is given by the party and, therefore, he should resign from the Rajya Sabha also,’’ Mr Mohan Singh told newspersons soon after taking over as the new Samajwadi Party spokesman.
``Mr Amar Singh is now part of history. In political parties, people keep coming and going. It is an ongoing process. Parties which understand the common man’s issues continue to prosper. One major question before the Samajwadi Party now is how to make people aware of its socialist face,’’ the new spokesman said, adding that it will take sometime for the party to regain its socialist image.
However, the new party spokesman added that Mr Amar Singh alone should not be held responsible for the party’s image of being associated with the ``rich and mighty only. People felt that SP has become a party of corporates. We too are responsible for being mute spectators on the issue.’’
The SP moves rules out the possibility of a rapprochement between party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and his erstwhile trusted lieutenant. Mr Amar Singh, in his interaction with newspersons, had made it clear that he could re-embrace the Samajwadi Party, but only on his terms. Even that possibility is now considered remote.
The decision to replace Mr Amar Singh with a fellow Thakur is seen in political circles as a move by Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav to puncture the perception that the Samajwadi Party has been reduced to being a `Yadav only’, or, more pointedly, a family party. All important positions in the Samajwadi Party hierarchy, critics say, are being held close relatives of Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav.
While Mr Mulayam Singh remains the overall boss, his son Akhilesh is the president of the party’s Uttar Pradesh unit. Mr Mulayam Singh’s younger brother Shivpal is leader of the opposition in UP, while cousin Ram Gopal is a general secretary, doubling up as a central parliamentary board member. Mr Mulayam Singh’s nephew Dharmendra is the MP from Mainpuri, while Mr Raj Babbar foiled the family’s attempts to send daughter-in-law Dimple to the Lok Sabha from Ferozabad.
Incensed over efforts launched by Mr Ram Gopal Yadav and a coterie of party leaders to marginalise him, Mr Amar Singh had last month resigned from all posts held by him, including those of party general secretary, national spokesman and central parliamentary board member, but opted to continue as an ordinary member of the Samajwadi Party.
Soon after taking over his new responsibility, Mr Mohan Singh, a veteran Socialist leader, asked his estranged party colleague to resign from the Rajya Sabha. Mr Amar Singh reacted to the demand by saying that he would not resign his Rajya Sabha seat and would prefer to be expelled from the party.
``Since Mr Amar Singh resigned as the party general secretary, member of parliamentary board and spokesperson, he has already detached himself from the party. Rajya Sabha membership is given by the party and, therefore, he should resign from the Rajya Sabha also,’’ Mr Mohan Singh told newspersons soon after taking over as the new Samajwadi Party spokesman.
``Mr Amar Singh is now part of history. In political parties, people keep coming and going. It is an ongoing process. Parties which understand the common man’s issues continue to prosper. One major question before the Samajwadi Party now is how to make people aware of its socialist face,’’ the new spokesman said, adding that it will take sometime for the party to regain its socialist image.
However, the new party spokesman added that Mr Amar Singh alone should not be held responsible for the party’s image of being associated with the ``rich and mighty only. People felt that SP has become a party of corporates. We too are responsible for being mute spectators on the issue.’’
The SP moves rules out the possibility of a rapprochement between party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and his erstwhile trusted lieutenant. Mr Amar Singh, in his interaction with newspersons, had made it clear that he could re-embrace the Samajwadi Party, but only on his terms. Even that possibility is now considered remote.
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The decision to replace Mr Amar Singh with a fellow Thakur is seen in political circles as a move by Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav to puncture the perception that the Samajwadi Party has been reduced to being a `Yadav only’, or, more pointedly, a family party. All important positions in the Samajwadi Party hierarchy, critics say, are being held close relatives of Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav.
While Mr Mulayam Singh remains the overall boss, his son Akhilesh is the president of the party’s Uttar Pradesh unit. Mr Mulayam Singh’s younger brother Shivpal is leader of the opposition in UP, while cousin Ram Gopal is a general secretary, doubling up as a central parliamentary board member. Mr Mulayam Singh’s nephew Dharmendra is the MP from Mainpuri, while Mr Raj Babbar foiled the family’s attempts to send daughter-in-law Dimple to the Lok Sabha from Ferozabad.
Incensed over efforts launched by Mr Ram Gopal Yadav and a coterie of party leaders to marginalise him, Mr Amar Singh had last month resigned from all posts held by him, including those of party general secretary, national spokesman and central parliamentary board member, but opted to continue as an ordinary member of the Samajwadi Party.
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