By IANS,
New Delhi : The crisis in the Samajwadi Party (SP) appeared to have eased Monday with Amar Singh, who resigned from all party posts last week, saying that matters have been sorted out in the party.
Amar Singh and SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav, who had spoken against each other, said they had sorted out issues between them.
“Things have been sorted out between us,” Amar Singh told a TV channel from Dubai.
Amar Singh, however, said he would continue to press for acceptance of his resignation from party posts on health grounds.
Singh, who was party general secretary, denied speculation that he was joining the Congress or the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
“I am close to NCP, leaders including Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel and D.P. Tripathi. I am friendly with many (leaders). That does not mean I am leaving my own home,” he said.
He spoke disparagingly of the Congress. “I cannot deal with one Ram Gopal Yadav (in the SP). In the Congress, there are many Ram Gopal Yadavs.”
Singh also confirmed that he would attend the closing function of Saifai Fest on Jan 21 in the hometown of party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.
“At a personal level, his (Mulayam Singh’s) word is my command. How can I not respond to his invitation whether I remain in his party or not?”
Amar Singh said he would urge Mulayam Singh not to precipitate matters in the party by refusing to accept his resignation.
“I have taken a sabbatical approach. I am enjoying it,” he added.
Speaking to reporters, Ram Gopal Yadav, who is a cousin of the SP chief, said that Amar Singh was like his brother. “He (Amar Singh) will be the chief guest at the Saifai Fest,” he said.
Asked about the exchange of words between him and Amar Singh through the media over the past five days, he dismissed it with: “If there are utensils in a house, they will make some noise.”
Mulayam Singh Yadav Sunday virtually signalled the two leaders to patch up. He told reporters in Kolkata that he will not accept the resignation of Amar Singh.
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar refused to comment on the developments in the Samajwadi Party while speaking to reporters Monday in Delhi.
Pawar said he has very good relations with Mulayam Singh Yadav and the resignation of Amar Singh from all party posts was an internal matter of that party.
The split in the SP appeared to have aggravated after Ram Gopal Yadav said the party would lose nothing by Amar Singh’s resignation. He also insisted that the party should not plead with Amar Singh to withdraw his resignation.
A section of the party MLAs is demanding that Amar Singh’s resignation should be accepted. Another section, however, has supported the leader.
Sanjay Dutt and Jayaprada have come out in support of Amar Singh.