‘Chacha-bhatija’ feud gets murkier: Legislators divided

17 September, Lucknow

The differences within the ruling Samajwadi Party, which seemed lessened yesterday after intervention of party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, turned more critical with supporters of both Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav coming face-to-face raising slogans against each other here today.

The demonstration started from the morning at the state party office where supporters of both ”Chacha and Bhatija” raised slogans and demanded return of honour of their leader. An eyewitness said that at a point of time, supporters of both the leaders were on the verge of clash but due to timely intervention of police, an unprecedented situation was averted.

A large contingent of police force has been deployed at the SP party office in view of the protest by both sections. Both groups are raising provocative slogans against each other, resulting in tension in the area.

Meanwhile, the supporters of Akhilesh Yadav took an upper hand when presidents of four youth wings of the party– Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha, Samajwadi Chatra Sabha, Lohia Vahini and Mulayam Youth Brigade- conveyed to the party president that they won’t work under Mr Shivpal Singh Yadav, who has become the state president.

SP MLC Anand Bhadoria, a close confidant of Mr Akhilesh Yadav , told reporters in front of the CM residence that party president should reinstate Mr Akhilesh Yadav as the state president immediately.” How can the party change the Senapati in mid of the war,” he questioned.

Bhadoria further said that Netaji should hand over the party to young blood.
Meanwhile, there was an absolute division witnessed within the party’s legislators as several of them were inside the CM residence while others were camping in the adjoining residence of Mr Shivpal Singh Yadav.

As per the witness, around 32 party MLAs were sitting inside the CM’s residence while 21 with Mr Shivpal Singh Yadav.
On the other hand, supporters of the CM announced that they will continue to protest till Mr Akhilesh Yadav was made the party’s state president.” When netaji has returned posts of all the leaders then why Mr Akhilesh Yadav has been ignored,” supporter Sanjay Yadav from Sultanpur said.

Sanjay, along with seven of his friends, was camping here in support for the CM.
He further claimed that Mr Akhilesh Yadav has turned into a ‘ Vikas Purush’ for his work during the past over four-and-a-half years.

Yesterday, there was a truce between Mr Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Singh Yadav following intervention of party president Mulayam Singh Yadav yesterday afternoon with both ”chacha and bhatija” agreeing on four points– Shivpal will get back his departments, Gayatri Prasad Prajapati would be retained as cabinet minister action against Amar Singh and Mr Shivpal Singh Yadav to stay at state president but Akhilesh would have say in the selection of assembly candidates.

But in the evening, everything changed and both ‘bhatija and chacha’ gave open statements against each other making the situation more critical.