After Mulayam Singh Yadav’s Apparent Snub, Akhilesh Yadav’s Meeting Signals Fightback

Several lawmakers of the ruling Samajwadi Party have begun arriving at 5 Kalidas Marg in Lucknow, the official residence and office of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. He has promised to listen to their appeals and convey them to his father and party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, impressing upon him that some deserving candidates have been left out of a list that he announced yesterday to contest the UP elections, which will be held soon.

Akhilesh Yadav was away in Bundelkhand yesterday when Mulayam Singh Yadav announced 325 candidates, leaving out several key aides of his son. Candidates recommended by his brother Shivpal Yadav made the cut.

Hours later, the chief minister signalled a fight back by sacking two party leaders, husband and wife, from their government posts. They are close to his uncle Shivpal, with whom he has engaged in a no-holds-barred power battle.

“I have heard that a new list has come… and that some people have not been given a ticket. I will go and speak to Netaji (Mulayam Singh) about this and impress upon him the need to give them a ticket,” said Mr Yadav, who had on Sunday, handed his father his recommendations for all 403 seats in UP. Shivpal Yadav too has picked candidates for these seats, saying his criterion is “winnability.”