Lucknow: The thaw and fissures within the top leadership of the Samajwadi party are back after a brief lull. This time a public admission from UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has exposed the extent of the divide even further.
The issue flared up on Monday when Akhilesh realised through media reports that someone against whom he had recommended a CBI probe, is now a party candidate for the upcoming assembly elections.
State president of the Samajwadi Party and uncle Shivpal Yadav made the list public and what followed was nothing but a mere embarrassment for the top leadership.
Senior leader Azam Khan who was accompanying the CM in the press conference on the sidelines of inauguration of new secretariat, tried his best to stop Akhilesh from making his observations public. But Akhilesh had made up his mind and was in no mood to relent.
His admission that he was not aware of the names of the candidates and that he has chosen not to be a part of ticket distribution process shook the senior party leadership.
Akhilesh didn't stop at just that. Akhilesh's backlash clearly showed that he was waiting for this moment to strike back at his detractors.
'He is a player of chess..but also understands the game of card quite well. One who will have the ace up his sleeves will win,' Yadav told the media.
Minutes after Akhilesh's open admission, a worried Mulayam summoned him along with Ramgopal Yadav and Shivpal Yadav at his residence 5 Vikramaditya marg.
Though the details of the close door meeting were not made public, Ramgopal Yadav later revealed to a section of media that 'All is well' in the party.
However sources say that Akhilesh was opposed to the decision of giving a ticket to Aman Mani Tripathi, owing his involvement in the alleged murder of his wife for which he is serving his time behind bars.
Aman Mani's father Amar Mani Tripathi is already serving a life imprisonment in the murder of a poetess Madhumati Shukla.
A party leader belonging to the Akhilesh camp who was recently sacked by Shivpal Yadav revealed on the condition of anonymity that 'there is a deliberate attempt by top leaders of the party to isolate Akhilesh.
Old guards feel that Akhilesh's development agenda alone is not sufficient to ensure electoral victory. But Akhilesh is a natural leader who waits for the right time, before he acts.
What is unclear though is whether CM Akhilesh voluntarily decided to stay away or else had been purposely sidelined in the process of ticket distribution adding to another setback for the party ahead of the crucial assembly elections early next year.
Political opponents are however not amused. BJP state General secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak termed it as a "scripted drama".
"Both Akhilesh and Mulayam are playing together. Attempt is to keep Akhilesh's image intact and also take criminals on board the party. If Akhilesh is really so isolated and annoyed, he should step down," Pathak said.
Politics apart, one thing is clear that the inner bickering of the Samajwadi party couldn't have come at a worse time.
With a strong speculation that the proposed Vikas Yatra by CM Akhilesh Yadav and Mulayam Singh's electoral rally that were slated to be held in Azamgarh on October 6th have been called off owing to the rift within the party, the morale of party workers has already hit rock bottom.
With all possibilities of the divide only getting deeper in days to come, a veil of uncertainty looms large over the party's electoral prospects.
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