<p>Months ahead of the Assembly election, the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Sunday plunged into a fresh crisis after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav sacked uncle and senior leader Shivpal Yadav and three other ministers.</p>.<p>Akhilesh made it clear that those close to Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh would not be allowed to remain in the Cabinet. Shivpal had backed Amar. <br /><br />Another Amar loyalist Jaya Prada was sacked from the post of vice-chairman of UP Film Development Council. She enjoyed the status of a Cabinet minister. <br /><br />Within hours SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav hit back by expelling party general-secretary and cousin Ram Gopal Yadav.<br /><br />The chief minister’s action against Shivpal and his supporters came after a meeting of party legislators, ministers and other senior leaders chaired by him here in the morning. Shivpal and the ministers and MLAs close to him were not invited to the meeting.<br /><br />The action also follows Ram Gopal’s open letter to party workers on Sunday exhorting them to rally behind Akhilesh. </p>.<p>The letter stated: “Where there is Akhilesh, there is victory. Those opposing Akhilesh will not be able to win the elections.” On Saturday, the party leadership suspended MLC Udaiveer Singh for his letter to Mulayam alleging that Shivpal and some other family members were conspiring against Akhilesh.<br /><br />“I am the real political heir of Mulayam Singh Yadav,” declared Akhilesh, sending a clear message to Shivpal, who recently replaced the chief minister as the president of the state unit.</p>.<p><br />According to SP leaders present at the meeting, the chief minister made it clear that those close to Amar Singh, would not be allowed to remain in his Cabinet. <br /><br />Besides Shivpal, Narad Rai, Om Prakash Singh, Madan Chauhan and Shadab Fatima were also sacked on Sunday.<br /><br />Among those who attended the meeting include senior ministers Ahmed Hasan, Kamal Akhtar, Paras Nath Yadav. Controversial minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati was turned away when he came to attend the meeting, a source said.<br /><br />Apparently stung by the sudden revolt by his son, Mulayam convened a meeting of senior leaders, including Shivpal. Senior SP leaders Reoti Raman Singh, Naresh Agarwal and Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey were present. </p>
<p>Months ahead of the Assembly election, the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Sunday plunged into a fresh crisis after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav sacked uncle and senior leader Shivpal Yadav and three other ministers.</p>.<p>Akhilesh made it clear that those close to Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh would not be allowed to remain in the Cabinet. Shivpal had backed Amar. <br /><br />Another Amar loyalist Jaya Prada was sacked from the post of vice-chairman of UP Film Development Council. She enjoyed the status of a Cabinet minister. <br /><br />Within hours SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav hit back by expelling party general-secretary and cousin Ram Gopal Yadav.<br /><br />The chief minister’s action against Shivpal and his supporters came after a meeting of party legislators, ministers and other senior leaders chaired by him here in the morning. Shivpal and the ministers and MLAs close to him were not invited to the meeting.<br /><br />The action also follows Ram Gopal’s open letter to party workers on Sunday exhorting them to rally behind Akhilesh. </p>.<p>The letter stated: “Where there is Akhilesh, there is victory. Those opposing Akhilesh will not be able to win the elections.” On Saturday, the party leadership suspended MLC Udaiveer Singh for his letter to Mulayam alleging that Shivpal and some other family members were conspiring against Akhilesh.<br /><br />“I am the real political heir of Mulayam Singh Yadav,” declared Akhilesh, sending a clear message to Shivpal, who recently replaced the chief minister as the president of the state unit.</p>.<p><br />According to SP leaders present at the meeting, the chief minister made it clear that those close to Amar Singh, would not be allowed to remain in his Cabinet. <br /><br />Besides Shivpal, Narad Rai, Om Prakash Singh, Madan Chauhan and Shadab Fatima were also sacked on Sunday.<br /><br />Among those who attended the meeting include senior ministers Ahmed Hasan, Kamal Akhtar, Paras Nath Yadav. Controversial minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati was turned away when he came to attend the meeting, a source said.<br /><br />Apparently stung by the sudden revolt by his son, Mulayam convened a meeting of senior leaders, including Shivpal. Senior SP leaders Reoti Raman Singh, Naresh Agarwal and Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey were present. </p>