Yadav family feud: Akhilesh says no rift; Mulayam, Shivpal hold high-level meet in Delhi

A day after the rift in the Yadav family came out in open, Samajwadi supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and his brother Shivpal Singh Yadav on Wednesday held a high-level meeting at the former’s residence in Delhi.

Meanwhile, amid differences with uncle Shivpal, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was combative on the decisions taken by him that have led to internal feuds coming out in the open. However, the UP CM said that there might be problems in the government, but not in the family.

Akhilesh Yadav vs Shivpal Yadav - All you need to know>

Akhilesh said that he too will follow the directions of his father and SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. “If I have taken any decision, it was in consultation with ‘netaji’, but at times one has to apply his own mind and I too took some decisions on my own,” he said.

With strife in the ruling Yadav clan coming out in the open, Akhilesh skipped two official programmes outside his residence, perhaps to avoid the media, and allowed only “photo-op” for a function there.

But to a question, he said, “As far as family is concerned, everyone abides by what ‘netaji’ (Mulayam Singh Yadav) says and will accept his words.”

“There may be problems in the government, but not in the family,” he said on the sidelines of an event at his 5, Kalidas Marg official residence.

The Mulayam family has been dogged by serious differences with matters reaching a flash point yesterday after Chief Minister shunted out Chief Secretary Deepak Singhal, considered as his uncle Shivpal Yadav’s favourite.

In a tit-for-tat action, Mulayam took away the post of UP Samajwadi Party chief from his son Akhilesh, perhaps to smooth the ruffled feathers of Shivpal.

But, within hours a peeved chief minister hit back by clipping his uncle’s wings by divesting him of his key PWD, Irrigation and Cooperative portfolios.

(With inputs from PTI)