No division in party till I am here': Mulayam rejects Shivpal's resignation
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Friday rejected Shivpal Yadav's resignation from all party posts after the brothers met at the former’s residence in Lucknow.
Shivpal, who held a clutch of important departments, quit the government as well as his position as chief of Samajwadi Party's state unit late Thursday night. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav too rejected Shivpal's resignation from the cabinet.
"There will no division in the party, till I am here," asserted Mulayam after Shivpal's dramatic resignation fuelled reports of an imminent split in the party.
"It is elections time, we should all come together & work. There is no fight between Ramgopal Yadav, Akhilesh & Shivpal," Mulayam added.
Read: ‘We are with Mulayam,’ proclaims Shivpal amid reports of imminent split
Shivpal too put speculations to rest and urged his agitated supporters to work towards strengthening the party.
Scores of his supporters had gathered outside his official residence at Kalidas Marg on Friday morning and raised slogans in his support.
The supporters also demanded the ouster of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and senior Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav for removing him from key ministries in the government.
"Restore Shivpal's honours, return all departments to him---return the SP state presidentship," the supporters chanted.
However, Shivpal asked his supporters to work towards strengthening the party and stand united in support of Mulayam Singh Yadav.
"We've to work towards strengthening the party, I urge you all to go to the party office where Netaji will be coming. We all stand by Netaji ( Mulayam Singh Yadav). 'Unka sandesh humare liye adesh hai.' (His message is a command for us)," he told his supporters.
The development came after a day after the Samajwadi Party boss and the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister held separate meetings with Shivpal.
Earlier on September 13, Akhilesh stripped Shivpal of key ministerial portfolios, hours after Mulayam replaced him with his uncle as the party's state unit chief.
Samajwadi Party general secretary Ramgopal had after meeting the Chief Minister yesterday claimed that the latter is not angry with anyone, adding Mulayam's decision is final in the party.
He said that "differences" had arisen due to some "misunderstanding" even as he made a veiled attack on Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh.
Earlier, Shivpal had reportedly announced the party's first list of 142 candidates for the 2017 assembly polls.
Disagreements between Akhilesh and his uncle have been reported on several occasions, including on the choice of official to be appointed as the state's chief secretary after Alok Ranjan's term ended and the postponement of Qaumi Ekta Dal's merger with Samajwadi Party.
