By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net
If Samajwadi Party does lose in the upcoming elections, it will look back to the months of October, November and December as periods that laid bare all the ugly divisions within the party, and particularly the Yadav family.
The latest developments indicate that CM Akhilesh Yadav has been pushed to the wall after getting several set backs. On Monday, SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav held a meeting with Shivpal Yadav but it remained inconclusive.
Why is SP so split internally>
Akhilesh Yadav from the onset has been saying that he should have a say in selecting candidates. His contention is that since he is the CM, it is his responsibility to face the election as per his strategy. But what is happening is totally different. SP’s state president Shivpal Yadav has already declared tickets for 175 seats and most of Akhilesh supporters have been denied tickets. Almost all of his supporters have been either removed from party post or have been expelled from the party. Shivpal groups holds the fort at SP’s state office at Vikramaditya Marg. None of Akhilesh supporters enter the premises. Left with no choice, Akhilesh has asked them to use the campus of Janeshwar Mishra Trust building behind party office. In Akhilesh’s own words—I have been taught politics by my own.
Akhilesh has received enough jolts within the party. Party legislator Rampal Yadav who was expelled by him has been reinstated. His dislike for minister Gayatri Prajapati has been ignored and Prajapati has been appointed as national secretary of party. Despite his open opposition, Amar Singh is given importance by Mulayam.
Finally, Akhilesh has submitted his own list of 403 candidates for contesting the polls. Sources claimed that it does not include names of Atiq Ahmed and brothers of Mukhtar Ansari. Akhilesh himself has proposed to contest from Babina seat in Jhansi. But Shivpal has already declared ticket on these seats.
What options does Akhilesh have?
As said earlier options before Akhilesh Yadav are limited.
First, the most likely option is that a temporary truce is arrived in SP with both groups settling on distribution of tickets. Akhilesh accepts the ticket allotment and sacrifices his supporters. He continues to remain in the party and accepts that all his adversaries occupy important posts in the party.
The second option is that he parts ways from SP and floats another outfit and fields candidates in alliance with Congress or others. This is most difficult as it requires courage and conviction with a belief in oneself.
Third, he accepts the first condition and from back door asks his supporters to contest as independents thus spoiling his own and party’s chances.
Whatever the condition, a political figure who was believed to remain relevant in UP’s politics for several decades to come is now at a situation where he has the opportunity to carve out his own way or to follow the path where he has no individuality left.