Akhilesh consolidates power

: After winning the ‘cycle’ symbol, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is not only busy stitching up a formidable alliance to return to power but also has stamped his authority over the Samajwadi Party in the capacity of its national president, a position held by his father till a few weeks ago.

On Wednesday evening, Mr. Akhilesh revoked the expulsion of nine young leaders considered his loyalists. They were expelled over the volatile events that took place in the party last September-October.

Some of them had faced the wrath of Mr. Akhilesh’s bête noire and uncle Shivpal Yadav, who had then displaced the CM as SP State president.

Back on board

With Mr. Akhilesh taking control over the party, Sanjay Lather, Sunil Singh Yadav ‘Saajan’, Udayveer Singh, Anand Bhadauria and Arvind Pratap Singh, MLCs, and the youth leaders Gaurav Dubey, Mohammad Ebad, Brijesh Yadav and Digvijay Singh Dev are back on board. “On the approval of SP national president Akhilesh Yadav, the expulsion of the named office-bearers is revoked with immediate effect,” SP State president Uttam Kumar Patel said.

Mr. Patel was himself nominated at the national convention on January 1.

Mr. Akhilesh nominated Fida Hussain Ansari as the party’s new State minority wing chief.

Mr. Ebad, Mr. Dev and Mr. Brijesh Yadav were reinstated as presidents of the Mulayam Singh Youth Brigade, Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha and Yuvajan Sabha, respectively.

New appointments

Additionally, three other State heads were appointed. While Geeta Singh was chosen as president of the SP’s women’s wing, Anand Agarwal is the new State president of the SP’s traders wing, and Pradeep Tiwari is the State president of the SP Lohia Vahini.

Along with Mr. Ebad, Mr. Brijesh Yadav, Mr. Dubey and Mr. Dev, Mr. Lather, Mr. Sunil Singh Yadav and Mr. Bhadauria were sacked in September for opposing the promotion of Shivpal Yadav as State president.

They had been expelled for “derogatory remarks” against party supremo Mulayam Singh, and “anti-party activities” and “indiscipline” after they voiced their protest against the decisions of the senior Yadav.

Another MLC who is now back in the party is Arvind Pratap Yadav, who was sacked by Mr. Shivpal, hours after he assumed office as the SP State president.

Mr. Arvind Pratap is a nephew of Mr. Ramgopal Yadav.

MLC Udayveer Singh, a close aide of Mr. Akhilesh and also his school mate, is back, too.

Mr. Udayveer was expelled in October a few days after he shot off a stinging letter to Mulayam Singh alleging that Mr. Akhilesh’s stepmother Sadhna Gupta was conspiring against the CM.

The letter even went to the extent of alleging that black magic was being used against the Yadav scion.