The war in Samajwadi Party was far from over on Sunday with a defiant Ram Gopal Yadav declaring Akhilesh Yadav as party president at the national convention in Lucknow which was declared as "unconstitutional" by supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.
The convention, attended by thousands of SP workers, unanimously "expelled" Amar Singh and removed Shivpal Singh Yadav from the post of state unit president.
The national convention proposed that Mulayam be considered as supreme leader of the party and that the top brass will take guidance from him, Ram Gopal Yadav said addressing the workers.
Soon after being proposed as the national president of the party, Akhilesh Yadav said his respect for his father was more than ever and that he would stand against those conspiring against the party.
"Those who conspired against the party, damaged it and also posed problems before the national president...should know that my respect for the national president (Mulayam Singh) will be more than before," the chief minister said.
"...People might raise questions and level allegations but I said this before and say it again that as his son if there is any conspiracy against the party and him it is my duty to stand against them", he said.
"I had said that I was ready to step down as state unit president earlier too ...he had made me the CM and gave me a chance to work...", he said .
The chief minister said, "All want that SP comes back to power but there are some who do not want this... Netaji would be most elated if the party forms the next government...I have been given the responsibility to make the next government on one more time'.
Hinting that there were powers in the party who were guiding the party chief to take decisions against him, Yadav said, "Netaji's respect and position is supreme for us...these three-four months are very important....don't know who all can come together and force certain decisions".
Earlier in the day, Mulayam Singh Yadav declared the national convention convened by Ram Gopal Yadav as unconstitutional and warned of action against those taking part in it. As soon as the national convention got underway at the Janeshwar Misra park, Mulayam Singh issued a letter.
"Today a so-called convention has been convened by Ram Gopal. This is against party constitution and discipline . This has been convened to damage the party," he said in the letter.
Mulayam said that participation in the convention will be taken as indiscipline and action will be initiated against all those attending it.
Almost all the senior leaders who have a longtime association with Mulayam Singh were present on the dias during the convention.
In his address at the convention, Ram Gopal accused Shivpal Singh Yadav of taking unconstitutional decisions by allotting tickets to those who are not even members of the party.
"State unit president gave tickets to those who were not even member of the party ...did not want SP return to power and that Akhilesh become the next CM ...", he said.
"Despite directives from the national president, the state unit president did not revoke the suspension of those shown the door," Yadav said referring to the expulsion of youth wing leaders considered close to Akhilesh Yadav.
Pointing fingers at Amar Singh, Ram Gopal said, "Two people have conspired to finish the party by taking the name of Netaji..I will take their names later ." Ram Gopal later moved three separate proposals making Akhilesh Yadav as party chief, making Mulayam Singh Yadav as the patron and removal of Shivpal as state president and expulsion of Amar Singh from the party.
Mulayam Singh terms decisions taken at convention illegal
Hitting back, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday termed as "illegal" all decisions taken at the convention called by the Akhilesh camp and again expelled Ram Gopal Yadav for six years.
In a letter issued here, Yadav said the national convention had not been convened with the permission of the national president and all decision taken there are illegal.
"The parliamentary board of the party declares all the proposals, decisions and the convention itself illegal and expels Ram Gopal, who convened the convention, for six years," the letter stated.
Mulayam Singh also convened the national convention of the party on January 5 at the same venue so that there is no doubt in the minds of the people. The letter, which makes no mention of Akhilesh Yadav and is signed by Mulayam Singh, states that the candidates' list issued earlier for the 2017 Assembly polls has been endorsed and a decision on the remaining seats will be taken soon.
"Mulayam Singh has all along been struggling against communal forces and strengthening the Samajwadi Party but some people, in order to hide their wrongdoings, to save themselves from CBI and to help BJP, have been continuously insulting him," the letter said, noting that those very people conspired to convene today's convention.
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