Too early to write off Samajwadi Party

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, October 23

A vertical split in the Samajwadi Party now seems to be a mere formality. Cutting off the nose to spite the face being played out in the party has undermined its standing in national and state politics. Ironically, the party that always claimed to be committed to keeping the BJP at bay has given the latter a massive thrust ahead of the crucial Assembly elections. None could have imagined six months ago that party ideologue Ramgopal Yadav would be expelled and the party’s foot soldier Shivpal Yadav stripped of his Cabinet rank.

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It is an open secret that Mulayam Singh Yadav has been running the government through remote control and his son Akhilesh Yadav has had to share the CM’s authority with his paternal uncles. That Akhilesh would suddenly assert himself, even at the cost of his party and government, was unimaginable.

During his meeting with legislators today, Akhilesh did not mince words to blame newly inducted Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh for the party feud. He reportedly announced that those close to Amar Singh could not be in his Cabinet. Besides dismissing uncle Shivpal and three ministers, Akhilesh also sacked Amar Singh’s associate Jaya Prada as vice-chairperson, UP Film Council.

Observers say it is too early to write off the Samajwadi Party as party patriarch Mulayam could spring a surprise. At the party meeting on Monday, he could take over the reins of the government. It’s a different matter that the youth and a large section of the middle class that identifies more with Akhilesh may turn away from the party in that case.

If the perception grows that the Samajwadi Party is not in a position to fight the BJP, the natural beneficiary would be Mayawati’s BSP. But it is yet to be seen how Mulayam plays his cards to keep his flock together.

Expressing anguish, senior minister Mohammad Azam Khan said the more perceptive among the party leaders had seen it coming, ever since a “certain person” had returned to the party fold.

Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Agarwal spoke of Ramgopal’s secular credentials. Without naming anybody, he suggested that the party should call a meeting to find out who was behind the present crisis in the “family, the party and the government.”