Today’s meet may deepen SP faultlines

The Samajwadi Party has banned the expelled party leaders from attending the silver jubilee function of the party on Saturday.

According to sources, the Lucknow district magistrate and senior superintendent of police have been reportedly informed to ensure that these leaders are not seen anywhere near the Janaeshwar Misra park, which is the venue of the silver jubilee function.

State SP president Shivpal Singh said that the expelled leaders should not have occupied the dais at the function on Thursday to flag off chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s rath yatra.

The decision is likely to further widen the rift between Shivpal Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav. UP minister Tej Narain Pandey, who was recently expelled from the party for allegedly assaulting party MLC Ashu Malik, however, said on Friday that Akhilesh Yadav had asked the youth to attend the silver jubilee function and he would be present there with his supporters.

Mr Pandey, considered to be close to the CM, has not been sacked from the council of minister even after Shivpal Yadav recommended action against him after his expulsion from the party. Shivpal Yadav on Friday summoned an emergency meeting of the SP’s youth frontal organisations to review preparations for the Saturday’s function. Mulayam Singh Yadav had on Thursday cautioned youths against being over-enthusiastic and said that slogans do not make governments.

The recently expelled leaders include MLCs Sunil Singh Yadav, Anand Bhadauria, Arvind Pratap Yadav and Sanjay Lathaar.

Others who have been expelled include Yuvjan Sabha president Brijesh Yadav, Youth Brigade president Mohammad Ebaad, Youth Brigade national president Gaurav Dubey and Chatra Sabha state president Digvijay Singh Dev.