At a press conference, Mulayam Singh Yadav said that his family and Samajwadi Party stand united
Highlights
- Mulayam Singh insists "family is united" but puts son Akhilesh on notice
- Akhilesh is Chief Minister now, after election, we'll decide: Mulayam
- Akhilesh feuding with uncle Shivpal, who is being backed by Mulayam
Mulayam Singh Yadav declared today that "my family and party stand united" with evidence strongly suggesting the opposite: son and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was missing from the press conference , while his uncle Shivpal, with whom he has a running dispute, was seated next to Mulayam Singh, who heads the Samajwadi Party.
Here are the 10 latest developments in this big story:
Akhilesh, 43, has made it clear that he does not want to launch a political start-up, but will not quit as Chief Minister. Elections in Uttar Pradesh are due soon, so the Yadavs' feud is a high-risk family venture.
Mulayam Singh used the press conference to address his son. "He must be watching this," said the Samajwadi Party chief, when asked about stress points with his son including the expulsion of young leaders seen as close to him. After the meet with reporters, hundreds of supporters of Akhilesh blocked the entrance to the party office with large protests.
While emphasising that Akhilesh remains Chief Minister, his father made it clear that a second term is not a given if the party wins the election. "First give us a majority and then we will see," said Mulayam Singh. He also said that the last state election, after which Akhilesh was made Chief Minister, "was fought on my name."
Akhilesh has been largely credited for the Samajwadi Party sweeping the 2011 state election because of his rebranding of the Samajwadi Party as one committed to the development and education of Uttar Pradesh's youth. He was then 37.
In the national election three years later, the Samajwadi Party won just five of 80 seats, allowing the anti-Akhilesh lobby with Shivpal as its heavy-hitter to claim that on Akhilesh's watch, the popularity of the party was quickly sliding.
Today's press conference by Netaji, as Mulayam Singh is known, comes after yesterday's meeting of about 400 party leaders where Akhilesh and Shivpal tore into each other.
Akhilesh's conditions for a compromise: the sidelining of Shivpal and Amar Singh, who was expelled from the Samajwadi Party in 2010, but has re-established himself as one of Mulayam's closest confidantes.
Mulayam Singh who yesterday said of Amar Singh that "all sins are forgiven", today shot down talk of any action against him, asking "Why do you drag him into everything?"
Shivpal, removed on Sunday from the cabinet by Akhilesh, has received Mulayam Singh's firm endorsement in virtually every fight he has picked with Akhilesh in recent months.
Last month, Mulayam Singh also removed his son as head of the party in Uttar Pradesh; Shivpal replaced him, which meant that it was not Akhilesh but his uncle who would largely decide the party's candidates for the approaching election.
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