The ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday split down the middle with the faction headed by CM Akhilesh Yadav removing Mulayam Singh Yadav as party chief and appointing him in his place at a convention in which the group claimed support of the majority of legislators and district units.
In other key decisions taken at a meeting of Akhilesh supporters here, Shivpal Yadav was sacked as the state unit head while Rajya Sabha member Amar Singh -- both Mulayam confidants -- was expelled from the party.
Mualyam retorted by again expelling his cousin Ram Gopal for six years along with national vice president Kiranmoy Nanda, who chaired the convention, and general secretary Naresh Agarwal for taking part in it.
43-year-old Akhilesh was "unanimously" crowned the SP president as Ram Gopal moved a proposal to make Mulayam, the founder president of SP, the party patron at the convention, where the CM's faction claimed that over 200 of the party's 229 MLAs, around 30 MLCs, besides majority of office bearers of district units were present.
The decisions by Akhilesh supporters -- and Mulayam Singh's retaliation -- plunged the ruling Samajwadi Party into a fresh crisis.
After a show of strength on Saturday when over 200 of the total 229 party legislators in the state attended a meeting called by him, Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday took complete control of the organisation.
Prompted by Ram Gopal Yadav, party veterans, close associates of the SP chief and ministers refused to be deterred by threats from Mulayam Singh. All of them shared the stage with Akhilesh Yadav.
Prominent among them were Rajya Sabha MPs Reoti Raman Singh and Naresh Agarwal and ministers Rajendra Chowdhary, Balram Yadav, Abhishek Mishra, Nitin Agarwal and Ahmad Hasan.
The young brigade included Anand Bhadauria, Sunil Singh 'Sajan' and Udayveer Singh - all MLCs from the Akhilesh camp who had been ousted from the party in October.
They applauded every word Akhilesh Yadav spoke.
Urban Development Minister and senior leader Mohd Azam Khan, who brokered peace on Saturday between the father and son, did not attend the meeting.
Addressing the convention, Akhilesh said he respected his father more than ever and that he would stand against those conspiring against the party while Ram Gopal attacked Shivpal for working in an "arbitrary" manner, alleging tickets were being given to those who are not even members of the party.
The fresh developments which almost left both Mulayam and younger brother Shivpal isolated in the party came a day after SP revoked the expulsion of Akhilesh and Ram Gopal amid the running bitter turf battle in the Yadav clan which threatens to affect its prospects in the upcoming Assembly election.
In more signs of defiance, Akhilesh appointed MLC Naresh Uttam as the new state president, replacing Shivpal.
Soon after the appointment of the new state unit president, supporters of Akhilesh laid siege to the state SP headquarters here in the high security VIP zone and forcibly wrenched out the nameplate of Shivpal to vent their ire.
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