Akhilesh Calls Meeting of Loyalists, Yadav Family Split to Extend to Legislature Party

Lucknow: In what is being seen as a show of strength in the party split down the middle, Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav has called a meeting of MLAs and MLCs at his residence on Sunday.

However, legislators considered too close to Shivpal Yadav have not been invited for the de-facto legislature party meeting.

Phone calls extending the invite have gone to 175 out of the total 300 odd MLAs and MLCs, which are considered either close to Akhilesh camp or are seen to be neutral. The Chief Minister heads the government by dint of being the leader of the majority party in the Vidhan Sabha, and Akhilesh's attempt to call the meeting of party lawmakers is being seen as an attempt to establish that.

This pre-emptive strike by the Akhilesh's camp comes just 24 hours ahead of a similar meet called on Monday by SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav in Lucknow.

With both sides digging in their heels, attempts at rapprochement by the old guard have not yet borne any results. A senior party leader, who is involved in the exercise, told CNN News 18 that the situation was "explosive" and Mulayam Singh is aggrieved.

"Mulayam Singh told party leaders that such personal allegations have not even been made by his fiercest of adversaries during his entire political career," he said.

Party MLC Udayveer Singh, who wrote a letter to Mulayam Singh earlier this week alleging interference by people within the SP's first family, was sacked for six years earlier on Saturday.

Udayveer, considered close to Akhilesh Yadav, had sought free hand to the CM in running the affairs of the party ahead of assembly polls.

Meanwhile, sources in the Shivpal camp alleged that "no official meeting of the MLAs has been called by the party on Sunday".

People have come to know of the meeting through the media, the source insisted.

"Shivpal Yadav has not got any call from anyone. If invited he will definitely attend," said the source, adding those who go for tomorrow's meeting would be closely watched. How many turn up for the meeting on Monday by Netaji would be the real test," he said.