Rebellion in SP? Akhilesh releases parallel list of 235 candidates

Uttar Pradesh after Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav defiantly released a list of candidates for seats already allotted by his father and party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav to others.

Akhilesh Yadav was not in Lucknow on Wednesday when his father announced the names of 325 candidates.

In a late-night development, SP state chief Shivpal Yadav released a list of 68 candidates out of the remaining 78 seats.

However, party supremo Mulayam SIngh Yadav has trashed the list of candidates issued by Ram Kumar.

The chief minister has asked all his loyalists who have not been given tickets to contest on their own or under different, available symbols. “The candidates who were ticked in that survey report were denied tickets this time”, he said. The list had numerous candidates that Akhilesh Yadav had fiercely opposed but were backed by his uncle Shivpal Yadav.

The miffed CM came out with his own candidates’ list late on Thursday, triggering speculation of a split in the party besieged by a bitter family feud. Akhilesh assured them that he would take up the matter with Mulayam when he goes to meet him. It seems talks between the two failed.

“He (Chief Minister) told us to prepare for election and be ready to contest”, another MLA from Akhilesh’s faction told reporters outside the venue of today’s meeting. Singh however refused to comment on whether a new party would be formed. While 176 sitting MLAs found favour with the veteran leader, as many as 53 sitting legislators have been dropped.

No doubt with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s larger than life image had left no space for any Leaders of Opposition but it has also created a vacuum in Delhi.

They view his “vigorous espousal” of an alliance with the Congress party as an attempt to ensure his position as the chief minister if the combination manages to win a majority in the Assembly. Sandeep has been fielded for the Sultanpur Sadar seat. The list also included tainted minister Gayatri Prajapati, whose sacking and re-induction as minister exposed the factional infighting in the ruling party. Akhilesh, sources said, is in no mood to give up. Both youth and senior leaders were expected to be present at the meeting.