Shivpal meets Akhilesh to say all is well in family

The 90-minute meeting is being seen as an attempt at reconciliation between Shivpal, a Cabinet Minister, and Akhilesh after intervention of the latter’s father Mulayam. Later, talking to media persons at his residence, Shivpal denied any ‘differences’ within the family. “Where is it? I can’t see. The family had met on Thursday and is with each other today also. We (Akhilesh and Shivpal) were busy on Thursday. So we sat together today,” he said when asked to comment on reports of differences. Shivpal had skipped a meeting of the state Cabinet on Wednesday, adding fuel to speculation about his unhappiness, which was music to the ears of the Opposition in view of the upcoming Assembly elections. “He is Chief Minister and I am a minister, we have joint responsibility in the government,” he said. 

At the same time, Shivpal said he was pained when action was not taken against land grabbers and accepted that some party office bearers were involved in such illegal acts. “It’s my opinion that such persons should be sacked from the party,” he said. Recently, even Mulayam had given a tongue lashing to SP lawmakers asking them to refrain from land grabbing and making easy money and instead concentrate on development work if they wanted to retain power in the state. On Sunday, Shivpal had told SP workers at a meeting in Mainpuri that he would resign if party leaders involved in land-grabbing did not mend their ways. 

Addressing SP workers during Independence Day celebrations at party headquarters in Lucknow, Mulayam revealed that Shivpal had offered to resign from the cabinet twice. “I stopped Shivpal Yadav from resigning from his post. If Shivpal quits, the party will be in trouble,” Mulayam said. Issuing an ultimatum to ministers in Akhilesh’s Cabinet who are accused of impropriety, Mulayam said, “If I will start taking action against such people than half of the ministers will have to leave their posts.” Exuding confidence that SP would form government again, and this time with a thumping majority, Shivpal said, “In 2017 we will get majority again and it will be bigger than 2012.” SP had won 224 of the 403 UP Assembly seats last time and stormed to power.