Was slapped by party leader Pawan Pandey at CM's residence: SP MLC Ashu Malik

LUCKNOW: As Acrimony, bitter exchanges and personal attacks marked a meeting of Samajwadi Party leaders, MLC Ashu Malik today said that he was slapped by a party leader at chief minister's residence. "Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had called me to clarify things related to a news article published in an English daily wherein Akhilesh Yadav was referred to as Aurangzeb and SP Chief Mulayam Singh as Shahjahan," Malik told ABP News "When I was at CM's residence, party leader Pawan Pandey came and attacked me. He slapped me twice," he said. "I was asked to show up as the chief minister wanted to clarify things related to the news article in front of people but my presence was misunderstood by others," he added. Malik said that Akhilesh Yadav was not present at his residence when the incident took place. Today's political drama was also punctuated by other clashes between rival factions outside and inside the venue and after the abrupt end to the meeting of the legislators, MPs and ministers. The Shivpal and Akhilesh factions within the once united party came to blows ahead of the meeting called by Mulayam Singh, who made it clear that he would never let go either his brother Shivpal Yadav or long-time aide Amar Singh, who the Chief Minister intensely dislikes. Earlier, in a choking voice, Akhilesh Yadav said his father was his "guru" and he would never split the Samajwadi Party. He said he was ready to quit if his father asked him -- to end the turmoil in the party. The 43-year-old, however, alleged a conspiracy against him and that Shivpal Yadav was a part of it.