Akhilesh Yadav snubs Shivpal again, appoints aide to govt post

Lucknow: In yet another jolt to state Samajwadi Party president Shivpal Singh Yadav, UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday appointed Javed Abdi as adviser in the irrigation department.

Javed Abdi was earlier physically removed from the dais during the silver jubilee function of the party on November 5 when he took over the mike and started singing paeans to the chief minister.

SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav, who was seated on the dais, asked Shivpal Yadav to remove Javed Abdi and visuals of the state president pushing Mr Abdi away went viral on the media and social media. Mr Abdi’s appointment as the adviser is being seen as another snub to the state SP president by the chief minister.

In a related development, expelled MLA Tej Narain Pandey who continues to remain in the Cabinet, was seen addressing a Yuvjan Sabha programme in Faizabad on Friday. Mr Pandey was expelled from the party in November for allegedly beating up MC Ashu Malik at the chief minister’s residence.

Shivpal Yadav, in a letter, had informed the chief minister of the action against Tej Narain Pandey and asked him to dismiss him form the council of ministers. However, the chief minister did not take any action against Mr Pandey who continues to serve as minister.