Akhilesh Yadav has had many differences with uncle Shivpal Yadav in the recent months.
Highlights
- Akhilesh Yadav stripped his uncle Shivpal of all important portfolios
- Shivpal Yadav was appointed Samajwadi Party's chief in UP
- Sources say, Mr Yadav has had many differences with Shivpal recently
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav stripped his uncle and powerful cabinet minister Shivpal Yadav of all important portfolios late on Tuesday evening while handing him the social welfare department, in a move that puts him in direct confrontation with his father and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav months before assembly elections in the state.
Not long before he acted against his uncle, Akhilesh Yadav was removed by Mulayam Singh as the ruling party's Uttar Pradesh chief. He installed younger brother Shivpal Yadav in the post.
It was seen as punishment for the 44-year-old chief minister who began a long day of feuding by sacking the state's chief secretary Deepak Singhal, who had superseded several senior officials to be appointed just two months ago as UP's top bureaucrat.
Mr Singhal was considered close to Shivpal Yadav, who till about 9.30 pm on Tuesday held the crucial PWD and Irrigation ministries and also the flood control. He is now only UP's social welfare minister.
Sources said Akhilesh Yadav has had many differences with Shivpal Yadav in recent months, especially over the merger the latter had planned of gangster Mukhtar Ansari's party with the Samajwadi Party.
The merger has not happened, but Akhilesh's battle with his uncle has reportedly deeply upset Mulayam Singh Yadav, who credits Shivpal Yadav as the party's key strategist for alliances, mergers and acquisitions for elections.
By appointing him the party's state president today Mulayam Singh signalled that Shivpal would construct the Samajwadi Party's plan for its bid to be voted back to power in the crucial elections to be held early next year.
Akhilesh Yadav, who has faced huge flak for poor law and order in his term, is desperately attempting an image makeover. He had sacked two ministers yesterday over alleged corruption despite the fact that they were close to his father.
Sacked chief secretary Deepak Singhal had reportedly rushed to Delhi on Tuesday to meet Mulayam Singh Yadav, who is said to have told him that he cannot interfere in matters that are the prerogative of the Chief Minister.
But Akhilesh Yadav was removed as the party's UP chief soon after.