Congress mocks SP, says Mulayam's efforts won't make any difference

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday alleged that the efforts being made by Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav in the wake of the escalating tension between Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Yadav would not make much of a difference, adding the ruling party in the politically crucial state will fight among themselves in the upcoming assembly elections.

"If Mulayam Singh ji wants to save the party then he should take everyone into confidence. But I think the rift in the party has increased up to such an extent that any of his actions will hardly make a difference," said Congress leader Meem Afzal.

Earlier on Monday, extremely upset with the ongoing rift within the family and party, Mulayam Singh after the meeting with Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav said that the priority at this point of time should be to decrease the differences instead of fighting with each other.

Monday's meeting takes place a day after Sunday's dramatic events when Akhilesh sacked his uncleShivpal Yadav from his Cabinet for the second time in a month. Many considered this to be a direct challenge to his father Mulayam, who has been promoting Shivpal over him.

Hours later, Mulayam ordered the expulsion of his cousin Ram Gopal Yadav, considered to be Akhilesh loyalist, from the party for six years.

This was announced by Shivpal, who alleged that Ram Gopal was tarnishing the Samajwadi Party's image by colluding with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and attempting to weaken Mulayam's hold on the party.

Meanwhile, the supporters of both Akhilesh and Shivpal gathered outside the party office in Lucknow and engaged in competitive sloganeering.

The opposition parties are keeping a close tab of today's meeting amid speculations that the Samajwadi Party is headed for a split just before assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.