Ram Gopal attacks Amar Singh, says he's misusing Mulayam; 'all settled' between Akhilesh, Shivpal

Lucknow:  Senior Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav on Thursday attacked party's Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh for stoking tension between Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal.

In a lengthy discussion with ETV News, the SP general secretary said, ''Amar Singh never thinks in party's interest. He always thinks about himself. He said that he is 'Mulayamwadi' not Samajwadi, what does this mean?''

Attacking Singh further, Ram Gopal said, ''He has created problems in past too but despite the opposition of several SP leaders he was re-inducted in the party fold and even sent to Rajya Sabha.''

The SP general secretary further stated that people have often taken disadvantage of Netaji's simplicity for personal gains. ''Netaji has been a down-to-earth leader, people have misused his simplicity,'' Ram Gopal said.

When to asked to name one such person, he said, ''Party workers think Amar Singh is one of them.''

He, however, said that all is ''settled'' between Akhilesh and Shivpal, and the party is united as always.

Ram Gopal had earlier hinted the party's central leadership has prepared a compromise formula to end the ongoing bitter power tussle between two key figures of the party – Akhilesh Yadav, the Chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and his uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav.

As per the formula, Akhilesh Yadav may be appointed as the working president of the Samajwadi Party, while his uncle Shivpal may be given back his key portfolios.

Shivpal will continue to be state party president; Akhilesh is not upset with him, he added.

Both will continue to work for the party in the days to come, he said.  

Importantly, Shivpal had refused to work under his nephew Akhilesh and conveyed this to party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav during a meeting on Wednesday.   

Talking to reporters this morning, Ram Gopal Yadav said, ''Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav will speak to each other, everything will be resolved soon.''

He, however, said that ''no one can challenge Netaji in the party.'' There is no need for parliamentary board meeting, Netaji will decide what will happen, he added.

SP chief Mulayam Singh is expected to reach Lucknow today to decide on the future course of action, he added.

SP heavyweight Ramgopal Yadav made these remarks shortly after arriving in the state capital earlier this morning to iron out differences between his nephew and Shivpal.

Earlier, during his interaction with media, Ram Gopal Yadav said it was wrong for the party to have removed Akhilesh Yadav from the Uttar Pradesh chief’s post without consulting with him.

“Had the party asked him (Akhilesh) to quit the post in view of the elections and focus on the chief ministerial job and that he (Shivpal) will take up the state president’s job, he would have resigned,” Ramgopal, who is the SP’s general secretary and a Rajya Sabha member, told reporters.

The removal of the Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh as the state's party chief "led to a misunderstanding...the matter will be resolved," said Ram Gopal.

The SP was thrown into turmoil on Tuesday night after Akhilesh curtailed uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav’s powers, within hours of party patriarch Mulayam taking away the party’s state presidentship from his chief minister-son and giving it to brother Shivpal.