Mulayam plays down Amar resignation as 'nothing big'

A day after senior Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh announced his resignation from key posts, party supremo and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today said Amar Singh continued to be in the party fold and his quitting key posts was “nothing big”.

“Yes, I have received a letter,” Yadav told reporters in Mainpuri district, about 200 km from Lucknow. The Samajwadi Party (SP) chief said he would convene a meeting of the party’s core committee on Amar Singh’s return (from Dubai). Amar Singh had offered to resign earlier also, but each time he was convinced to reverse his decision, Yadav added.

Asked whether Singh had cited alleged differences with his brother and party senior leader Ram Gopal Yadav, the SP chief replied: “My lips are sealed... everybody knows about these differences.

Mulayam, however, refrained from commenting on whether Amar Singh had accused him and other senior leaders of the party of promoting members from the Yadav family.

“I have nothing to say on this matter.” However, party sources in Lucknow said differences between the two leaders had almost reached a dead end.

“Neta ji (as Yadav is referred to) could ill afford to ignore the resentment in the party against the overpowering influence of Amar Singh,” said an SP leader from eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Opposition to Singh was mainly from party leaders from eastern Uttar Pradesh districts who blamed him for the present state of the party.