Akhilesh fortifies grip over SP

LUCKNOW: Fortifying his grip over Samajwadi Party, Akhilesh Yadav today appointed party heads in seven more districts, a day after announcing new chiefs for four districts. "On directives of national president Akhilesh Yadav, state president Naresh Uttam today appointed new district presidents in Mainpuri, Moradabad, Fatehpur, Etawah, Farukhabad, Firozabad and Hardoi districts," a press release issued by the Akhilesh camp said. The existing presidents of these district units were sacked with immediate effect to pave the way for new faces. Akhilesh had yesterday directed Deoria, Kushinagar, Azamgarh and Mirzapur district presidents to remain in their posts and strengthen the party. Presidents in these districts were removed by Shivpal Yadav, who is state president of another faction of SP backed by Mulayam Singh Yadav. While making the new appointments, Akhilesh directed them to constitute district units within seven days and work for the party's victory in the Assembly elections. Meanwhile, Quami Ekta Dal (QED) MLA Sigbatullah Ansari met the chief minister. Sigbatullah said he met Akhilesh as he was invited by him. Akhilesh had opposed the merger of the gangster-turned- politician Mukhtar Ansari's QED with the SP last year, while his father Mulayam had supported it.