The 'coup' in the Samajwadi Party leading to the elevation of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav as the party's national president could have all started with a typewriter. The 43-year-old leader reportedly hinted at his supporters on Sunday that his removal as state party president in September last year was not Mulayam Singh Yadav's idea, and that the former party chief was asked to sign the order by others in the party "mischievously", reported The Telegraph.
Referring to the September decision, the junior Yadav reportedly said at the SP's national convention called by aide Ram Gopal, "It was taking time to type a letter (at Mulayam's home).... He (Rajya Sabha member Amar Singh) asked for a typewriter from his office. If somebody brings a typewriter to the house of Netaji (Mulayam) to type a letter to remove a state president appointed by Netaji himself..."
Akhilesh said that "anybody" could convince Mulayam to sign a letter that was "against" him. He alleged that his decision to take over the SP was because "others" were making party decisions through the 77-year-old veteran leader, holding the typewriter incident as example.
Akhilesh was announced as the party president on Sunday, replacing his father Mulayam. "This National Executive unanimously elects Akhilesh Yadavji as the national president of Samajwadi Party. The state president, Shivpal Yadav, has been taking wrong decisions in the name of Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav)," said Ram Gopal at a party convention at the Janeshwar Mishra Park on Sunday.
It is unclear if the party is headed for a split but a majority of its leaders support Akhilesh over Shivpal. Mulayam Singh had yesterday asked party leaders to boycott the national meet called by Ram Gopal on Sunday, calling it "against the constitution of the party".
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