In Akhilesh vs Mulayam, 'A Father's Jealousy Of Son' Alleged By Key Player

New Delhi: With the Yadav family crisis registering at off-the-charts by any measure of a political crisis, a primary player offered this theory: "Mulayam Singh Yadav seems to be jealous of his son's success."

The assessment was offered by Ram Gopal Yadav, who was expelled on Sunday from the Samajwadi Party for six years after a sustained effort to promote Mulayam Singh's son, Akhilesh, who is the Chief Minister, as "the true leader" of the party.

Ram Gopal is Mulayam Singh's cousin. In the family feud that has swamped the Yadavs, he is pitted against Shivpal Yadav, who is Mulayam Singh's younger brother.

While Ram Gopal is Akhilesh's favourite uncle, Shivpal is Enemy No 1.

"Normally a father is always proud of his success but here the reverse is happening, "said Ram Gopal to NDTV today. The politician, a former professor of Political Science, added, "Earlier the Samajwadi party was known to be a party of goondas (thugs) but it is Akhilesh who changed this narrative."

After a party meeting yesterday at which the Yadavs tore into each other in the presence of hundreds of Samajwadi leaders, Akhilesh has reportedly conveyed to his father that unless Shivpal is sidelined, along with close aide Amar Singh, the crisis will not de-escalate.

The hostilities among the Yadavs have peaked as Uttar Pradesh enters campaign mode for the approaching election, where Akhilesh hopes to get a second term. Shivpal believes that's a political miscalculation and that it is Mulayam Singh who should head the campaign, and possibly take over as Chief Minister. It's an easy suggestion to offer because Mulayam Singh has in recent months demonstrated a predilection for seconding him on important strategic decisions, while ruling against Akhilesh.

Ram Gopal says that Mulayam Singh is failing to recognise the popularity of his 43-year-old son, who, in 2011, promised jobs and a better education to the youth of one of India's most backward states, and accrued a massive win for the Samajwadi Party. But Shivpal and others argue that the 2014 national election, in which the party won just five of a possible 80 votes, was a warning sign that Akhilesh was not delivering which was ignored at great peril.

Party insiders say that Shivpal entertains the belief that if Akhilesh is removed, he will be within striking distance of becoming the Chief Minister himself.