UP CM Akhilesh Yadav gives loyalist Javed Abdi ministerial post, rift with Shivpal again widens

New Delhi: The rift between Akhilesh Yadav and senior Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal has again risen with the UP Chief Minister giving ministerial berth to loyalist Javed Abdi. An agitated Shivpal Yadav had shoved Abidi away from the microphone as he was praising Akhilesh during the party’s silver jubilee event last month. Abidi was vociferously pitching for Akhilesh to be nominated as the chief ministerial candidate before elections. When his voice on the microphone got amplified, he was pushed away by Akhilesh’s estranged uncle Shivpal. Reports say Abdi is a member of Team Akhilesh and had taken up the role of mobilizing support of the people in his rallies in Lucknow. He is also known to organize 'majlis', especially during Muharram in the state capital. Giving Abdi a ministerial post shows Akhilesh-Shivpal acrimony is still ripe.