New Delhi: In wake of the developing feud between the two warring camps of the Samajwadi Party, SP Supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday categorically declared that he is still the party president while his son Akhilesh Yadav is the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
Mulayam was quoted saying:
“I am Samajwadi party chief and Akhilesh Yadav is the Chief Minister UP, Shivpal Yadav is the state President.”
Mulayam also declared that the party has expelled Ram Gopal Yadav for six years.
Also, Mulayam Singh Yadav will demand from the EC on Monday to check the authenticity and legality of papers submitted by Ram Gopal Yadav.
Earlier on Jan 1, a national meeting of SP members convened by Ram Gopal Yadav announced Akhilesh to be the party president and proposed to remove Shivpal Yadav as the SP’s chief in Uttar Pradesh.
Mulayam on Sunday said the meeting called by Ram Gopal Yadav was ‘unconstitutional’ since he had been expelled from the party for six years on December 30.
Mulayam’s statement that he is the leader of the SP, comes at a time when two units of the party – one headed by him, and the other headed by Akhilesh Yadav – have been engaged in a public fight over the party and its symbol ‘Cycle’ ahead of the crucial Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.