Akhilesh Yadav named Samajwadi Party's national president

The General Secretary of Samajwadi Party, Ramgopal Yadav declared current Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav as the party’s new national president on 1 January 2017, replacing his father Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The announcement was made amidst party members and leaders at an emergency party meeting, held at Lucknow's Janeshwar Mishra Park.

Key Highlights

• Akhilesh Yadav was elected Samajwadi Party’s national president with a unanimous national executive vote. He will now reconstitute all of the party’s state bodies.
• Mulayam Singh Yadav was transferred to the position of supreme guide or margdarshak of the party, whose main job would be to advise the new leadership.
• Shivpal Yadav, President of Samajwadi party’s Uttar Pradesh unit, was removed from his position. Naresh Uttam has been appointed in his stead.
• Another prominent senior party leader, Amar Singh, was also expelled from the party.
• The emergency convention was attended by several party members and prominent leaders.

These announcements closely follow the recent ouster of Akhilesh Yadav and Ramgopal Yadav from the party by party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, reportedly under the influence of Shivpal and Amar Singh. Less than a day later Mulayam Singh revoked his decision, inviting both of them back into the party.

Akhilesh Yadav expelled from party for 6 years

Ahead of the national party meeting, Mulayam Singh Yadav sent a letter to party members, asking them not to attend the national executive meeting. He called the convention unconstitutional, undisciplined and against the party image.

Mulayam Singh also declared all the decisions taken during the meeting as invalid, as it was convened without his permission or presence. He has called for another national party convention on 5 January 2017 at the same venue

The current situation indicates a complete turnaround in the party feud and hints towards a possible party split. This comes just ahead of UP assembly elections, which is expected to be a tight contest between Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP).