Yadav vs Yadav: Professor Saheb, ‘think tank’ of the party

Ram Gopal Yadav
Inside and outside Parliament, he has emerged as the ‘intellectual face’ of the Samajwadi Party that was otherwise known for its rough and tough ways

Prof Ram Gopal Yadav, 70, is said to be the brain behind the prevailing crisis in the Samajwadi Party.

Prof Ram Gopal Yadav, a cousin of Mulayam Singh Yadav, is the most educated member of the Yadav clan. Popularly known as ‘Professor Saheb’ in political circles, he has been the “think tank” of the Samajwadi Party since its inception.

From drafting the party’s constitution to preparing all resolutions during various party events, Ram Gopal Yadav is the one who has done it all. He was the face of the party in Delhi and dealt with issues concerning the party at the national level.

His views were respected by Mulayam Singh and all other leaders had faith in his wisdom. Inside and outside Parliament, Ram Gopal Yadav emerged as the ‘intellectual face’ of the party that was otherwise known for its rough and tough ways.

If sources are to be believed, Prof Ram Gopal Yadav shared Akhilesh’s disdain for Amar Singh and supported the chief minister when he went public with his views.

In the past six months, Ram Gopal Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav have come close and have even publicly lashed out at Shivpal Yadav on various is-sues. Both are aware that any word uttered against the Samajwadi patriarch Mulayam Singh could boomerang.

Shivpal Yadav and later, Mula-yam Yadav, have accused their cousin of working at the behest of the BJP, “poisoning” the ears of Akhilesh and attempting to destabilise the party.

Ram Gopal Yadav has been seen as engineering and provoking a revolt in the party against Mulayam Singh and this has led to him being expelled thrice since October.

Matters came to a flashpoint when Ram Gopal Yadav, as national general secretary of the party, convened an emergency national convention of the party on January 1 and declared Akhilesh Yadav as the national president, deposing Mulayam Singh from the post.

Top SP leaders now blame Ram Gopal Yadav for ensuring that truce between the father and son does not happen.

Ram Gopal Yadav does not entertain the media in Lucknow and prefers to speak to a chosen few in Delhi. Some party workers claim that he can be ‘arrogant’ at times.

The battle between Ram Gop-al Yadav and the Mulayam-Shivpal duo has reportedly reached a point of no return. Mulayam Singh Yadav is un-willing to revoke the expulsion of his cousin even if it means allowing the party to split.