Akhilesh Yadav will be Samajwadi party's CM candidate, says Shivpal Yadav

LUCKNOW: With the spectre of bitter infighting looming large over the party, SP state president Shivpal Yadav today clarified that incumbent Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will be the party’s CM face in the upcoming elections to the state Assembly. "Not just once but every time SP will come into power, Akhilesh Yadav will be our chief ministerial candidate. If anybody wants, I’m ready to put it on the stamp paper,” Shivpal Yadav said. SP had lined up back-to-back crucial meetings to gauge the mood of party workers at a time when Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are just a few months away. "I am even ready to vacate the state president post if there's any disagreement in party because of it," an emotional Shivpal Yadav told the SP office bearers in the meeting. All the party members asked Shivpal to carry on with the responsibility of being the state president but declare unequivocally that Akhilesh Yadav will be the CM candidate. Shivpal asked the party delegates to prepare for elections and also to ensure that the party's silver jubilee celebrations on November 5 in the state capital was a grand show. "You all should start preparations for November 5 event and make it a big success," Shivpal told them. Mulayam, who has been seen standing with brother Shivpal, has also convened a meeting of party legislators and ministers on October 24 to "gauge the mood" of partymen and people of their area. After the chief minister announced his decision to take out his solo 'Rath Yatra' on November 3, SP MLC Udayveer Singh wrote a letter to Mulayam demanding that Akhilesh Yadav be made the national president. Another party MLC Ashu Malik had sent a missive in favour of Mulayam, saying he was peeved over fingers being pointed at the "great leader". The pro-chief minister camp fears that all this is a part of a systematic attempt to undermine him and deny him a say in the party. (With PTI inputs)