‘Chacha-bhatija’ feud gets murkier

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow/New Delhi, Sept 14

The crisis in the Samajwadi Party’s first family and the Uttar Pradesh Government for which Chief Minister Akilesh Yadav blamed “outsiders” is far from over.

The responsibility of sorting out issues between son Akhilesh and brother Shivpal has once again fallen on the ageing shoulders of national SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav.

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Addressing reporters separately, both Akhilesh and uncle Shivpal made it clear that they would listen to what “netaji” says.

However, officially stepping out of his father’s towering shadow for the first time, Akhilesh today admitted that some decisions he had taken on his own. “I generally go by what netaji tells me but, yes, I do take some decisions on my own,” he said, in an apparent explanation of his action of late Tuesday when he divested Shivpal of plum portfolios. On his conflict with Shivpal, he said it was a “sarkari ladai” (government battle), not a family feud.

Nothing is officially known of the five-hour-long meeting between Mulayam and Shivpal at the former’s 16 Ashok Marg residence in New Delhi. Rajya Sabha MP Subhash Chandra reportedly joined the meeting midway.

Virtually confirming what probably triggered the current crisis, Akhilesh said: “If outsiders start interfering then how would I run the government.” While he did not take any names, sources say the CM was referring to a newly inducted Rajya Sabha MP who claims to be a Mulayamwadi and not a Samajwadi.

In his brief interaction, the CM hinted at some outsiders putting pressure on ‘netaji’ to coerce him to revisit some of his recent decisions such as dismissing the corrupt ministers and replacing the chief secretary.

Just months before the elections, the CM has decided to come into his own and shake off the critics’ allegation of UP being ruled by four-and-a-half chief ministers.

While he cancelled all official engagements outside, Akhilesh stuck to his previously decided schedule and continued meeting people at his official residence.

All eyes are now fixed at Mulayam. It remains to be seen as to which strategy he chooses to prevent Akhilesh and Shivpal from pulling the party and government in different directions.

Addressing reporters in Saifai, Shivpal said he would honestly carry out whatever responsibility ‘netaji’ hands him.

In Delhi with son Aditya Yadav (Chairman of UP Cooperative Federation Lt), Shivpal remained with ‘netaji’ for over five hours. “There is no rift in the family. All in the family will abide by decision of ‘netaji’,” he said.

Sources said Mulayam asked Shivpal to meet him following the latter’s threat to resign from Council of Ministers in the state and from all party responsibilities after Akhilesh reduced his powers. Akhilesh was also reportedly asked to attend the meeting, but he did not heed.

To buy time to resolve the crisis, Mulayam has called off tomorrow's meeting of the Parliament Board, which emanated from the leaders close to him. It could be a meeting of the board or an informal meeting of MPs and senior party leaders and may take place later this week.

The first open defiance not to toe ‘netaji’s’ line came when Akhilesh refused to endorse his father’s decision of merger of don-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari’s Qaumi Ekta Dal with the SP. Shivpal took it as a personal humiliation as he had brokered the deal. A few days later all was said to be well but an uneasy calm prevailed.

The dismissal of Mining Minister Gayatri Prajapati, reportedly close to ‘netaji’, on charges of corruption triggered the fresh crisis. The CM followed it up with replacing chief secretary Deepak Singhal, close to Shivpal, the next day. Reacting to these decisions, in all likelihood taken without his nod, Mulayam took away the party’s charge at the state level from Akhilesh and handed it over to Shivpal.

Thereafter, Akhilesh stripped Shivpal of his high profile portfolios, including irrigation and PWD.

(With inputs from Ravi S Singh in Delhi)