Akhilesh Yadav Plays Down Rift With Shivpal, Says Will Go By Mulayam's Orders

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday sought to play down his rift with uncle Shivpal Yadav over the latter's appointment as Samajwadi Party state chief.

Akhilesh maintained that there was no dispute between the nephew-uncle duo in the family and the differences were merely over style of governance.

"As far as family is concerned, everyone abides by what 'netaji' (Mulayam Singh Yadav) says and will accept his words. There may be problems in the government, but not in the family," Akhilesh said.

Like Shivpal, Akhilesh also said that he will follow the directions of his father and SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.

"If I have taken any decision, it was in consultation with 'netaji', but at times one has to apply his own mind and I too took some decisions on my own," he said.

With strife in the ruling Yadav clan coming out in the open, Akhilesh skipped two official programmes outside his residence, perhaps to avoid the media, and allowed only "photo-op" for a function there.

The first family of the SP has been dogged by serious differences with matters reaching a flash point on Tuesday after Chief Minister shunted out Chief Secretary Deepak Singhal, considered as his uncle Shivpal Yadav's favourite.

In a tit-for-tat action, Mulayam took away the post of UP Samajwadi Party Chief from his son Akhilesh, perhaps to smooth the ruffled feathers of Shivpal.

But, within hours a peeved Chief Minister hit back by clipping his uncle's wings by divesting him of his key PWD, Irrigation and Cooperative portfolios.

Singhal, considered close to minister Shivpal Yadav, was shown the door barely two months after he took charge.

Samajwadi Party insiders said the CM was perhaps not happy with Singhal as he had attended a dinner hosted by Amar Singh which Akhilesh gave a miss though Mulayam and some other top party leaders were present.

According to party insiders, Akhilesh was not very happy with Singhal for his "closeness" with Shivpal.

Singhal was earlier Principal Secretary (Irrigation), a department held by Shivpal.