Akhilesh Yadav made the remarks while addressing the state convention
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav today cautioned his supporters against "fake samajwadis", signalling fresh strain in the party's top ranks.
The former chief minister made the remarks while addressing the state convention, which unanimously re-elected Naresh Uttam as the party's president in Uttar Pradesh for the next five years.
Mr Yadav called on his party members at the meet to realise their responsibilities ahead of the Lok Sabha bypolls in Gorakhpur and Phulpur, seats vacated by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya.
"We have the responsibility to save the country," Mr Yadav said.
He said if the results of the elections would be in the party's favour, it will give a message not only for 2019 Lok Sabha polls, but also for 2022 assembly elections.
"Beware of 'banawti' (fake) samajwadis. They have tried to stop the samajwadi andolan many times. They succeeded in one conspiracy as a result of which we could not form government again in the state," he said in a veiled attack on his uncle and SP leader Shivpal Yadav and his supporters.
"But it has opened the eyes of samajwadis. Now they will not succeed," he said.
Mr Yadav, however, clarified that he enjoyed the blessings of his father and SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav. "I want to say that 'netaji' (Mulayam) is my father and his blessings will always be with me. We will take forward this 'andolan' (movement)," he said.
The former chief minister also criticised the Centre for the recent train derailments and sought better rail services for Uttar Pradesh. He highlighted that the works initiated by his government and said the present BJP government befooled people with false promises to grab power.
At the convention, the party also discussed political and economic resolutions.
The convention was attended by senior party leaders Ram Gopal Yadav, Azam Khan, Ram Govind Chowdhury and over 15,000 workers from across the state. Mulayam Singh and Shivpal Yadav were conspicuous by their absence.
In his address, party leader Ram Gopal Yadav cautioned party workers that if in 2019, the Narendra Modi government returns to power at the Centre, there may not be any elections in the future.
"The country is heading towards one party system. To deal with them (BJP) you have to fight them clevery and intelligently. The present CM has never seen anything beyond Gorakhpur," Ram Gopal said.
The chief minister is not aware as to what is going on, he alleged and claimed that no work had been done in the state in past six months.
Ram Gopal also advised party workers to use smart phones and set up an IT cell to counter the BJP on social media.
Reacting to the SP convention and the comments made by the leaders there, BJP state president Mahendra Nath Pandey said that instead of levelling allegations against the BJP government, Akhilesh should first sort out his family dispute.
"The loot going on in SP regime has stopped in the Yogi Adityanath regime. As probe of 'karnamey' (misdeeds) in previous regime are underway, he (Akhilesh) is feeling frustrated and nervous," Mr Pandey said.
"Akhilesh talks of expressway and metro, which he inaugurated without completion. SP is talking against demonetisation as its corrupt leaders suffered due to it," he alleged.