A day after the Samajwadi Party headquarters here witnessed dramatic scenes, party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav tried to present a picture of calm at a press conference on Tuesday, saying his family and party are united.
Flanked by party's State unit chief Shivpal Yadav and others, Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav said there would be no change at the helm of the government, meaning his son Akhilesh Yadav would continue as Chief Minister. He reasoned it was too late to consider such a move as the election code of conduct would soon be enforced in the State.
However, keeping the mystery alive, Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav avoided any direct answer to questions on whether Mr. Akhilesh Yadav would be the chief miniterial face of the party in the 2017 elections. “Ours is a democratic party... First give us a majority and we will see,” he said.
He also reminded that in the last election, though he chose Mr. Akhilesh Yadav as the chief Ministerial candidate, the voters sought his name.
Though Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav said all is well in his party and family, the tension within the camp was palpable with Mr. Akhilesh Yadav missing from the conference.
Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav also indicated that he would not consider any request from his son to act against his close aide, Amar Singh, a day after he referred to him as his brother and said “all his sins are forgiven.”
“Why bring Amar Singh into everything?” Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav said to a reporter's query. He also chose to downplay the remarks against him by his expelled cousin and former party general secretary Ramgopal Yadav, saying, “I don’t give any weightage to his words anymore.”
