Akhilesh Yadav's uncle Shivpal Yadav has released a fresh list of candidates
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today said he had "no idea" about a new list of Samajwadi Party candidates for the crucial Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, that includes a man against whom he had ordered a CBI inquiry last year in a murder case.
Aman Mani Tripathi has been accused by his wife's family of murdering her, after he came out unscathed from a car crash that killed her in 2015. The CBI is investigating the case.
Mr Tripathi's father, former UP minister Amar Mani Tripathi, is serving a life sentence for the murder of a Lucknow poetess, Madhumita, 12 years ago.
The younger Mr Tripathi, who has earlier faced charges of kidnapping and extortion, has the kind of resume that Akhilesh Yadav has been shunning as he attempts a frantic image makeover for UP's ruling party in time for the assembly elections, to be held in early 2017.
But Mr Yadav is no more the Samajwadi Party's UP chief, having been replaced with his uncle Shivpal Yadav by father and party boss Mulayam Singh Yadav last month.
It was Shivpal Yadav who made today's selection, also dropping several candidates earlier picked by Akhilesh Yadav as they continue to extend their feud that began when the uncle proposed a partnership with gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari and the nephew put his foot down.
"I do not have idea about any list being released by the party," the chief minister said today, moments after Shivpal Yadav had made his announcement, and then added enigmatically that in a game of cards, the one who holds the ace, wins.
His battle with his uncle last month had left him bruised. At his father's bidding, Akhilesh Yadav had to give back key portfolios in his government that he had taken away from his uncle and also had to reinstate ministers close to the latter who he had sacked over corruption charges.
Since he took over as the party's UP chief, Shivpal Yadav has been effecting sweeping changes.
"There are no differences in the party over ticket distribution," said senior Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav, after a meeting later in the day that was attended both by Shivpal and Akhilesh.