Mulayam sacks Chief Minister Akhilesh from Samajwadi Party for six years

LUCKNOW: In a tough action, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today expelled his son and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav as well as general secretary Ramgopal Yadav from the party for six years for "gross indiscipline", a decision that will lead to a political crisis in Uttar Pradesh. Making the announcement at a press conference here, Mulayam said the new Chief Minister will be chosen by the Samajwadi Party. LIVE UPDATES:

• Defiant Ramgopal says he still is general secretary of SP and party meet called by him on Sunday will take place in any eventuality.
• Ramgopal Yadav terms his and CM Akhilesh Yadav's expulsion from Samajwadi Party as unconstitutional
• New Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh will be decided by us, says Mulayam after expelling son Akhilesh from party. PTI
• We have to save the party, that is why expelling both Akhilesh and Ramgopal, says Mulayam
• Akhilesh Yadav also expelled from SP for 6 years, says Mulayam
• Ramgopal has not only indulged in indiscipline but is causing a big harm to the party; We will take action more than expulsion against him: Mulayam.
• Emergency meeting called by Ramgopal unconstitutional; Nobody else than party chief can call such a meeting, says SP supremo Mulayam.
• Ramgopal finishing career of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav who “does not understand”, says Mulayam.
• “No one has the right to call for a national executive meet other than party Chief, by doing this Ramgopal has hurt party’s interest,” Mulayam said.

Stung by show-cause notice, Ramgopal had called emergency meeting of SP on January 1 in his capacity as General Secretary. Akhilesh’s list, which did not carry any signature, was made available on social media last night by defiant party MLAs who failed to get a ticket in the official list. It included the names of 171 sitting MLAs and 64 new faces.