Shivpal quits UP Cabinet, party post

In a fresh twist to the deepening feud in Mulayam Singh Yadav's family, his brother Shivpal Yadav on Thursday night submitted his resignation as ruling Samajwadi Party's (SP's) state unit head and as a minister in the Cabinet of nephew Akhilesh Yadav with whom he is at loggerheads.

Shivpal gave his resignation to Mulayam, who rushed to Lucknow from Delhi to douse the flames that threaten to hurt the ruling party in the Assembly polls due early next year, sources said. However, Mulayam reportedly refused to accept the resignation, sources said.

Most key leaders, including Yadav family members like Ram Gopal Yadav and Cabinet minister Azam Khan, came out in support of Akhilesh.

Both Khan and Ram Gopal echoed Akhilesh's statement of Wednesday that outsiders were to blame for the fratricidal war in the family. While none have named him directly, the attack was on Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Amar Singh. Shivpal, who wields significant influence on party cadre, defended Singh, who was expelled from the party in 2010, but was sent to the Rajya Sabha earlier this year against the wishes of Akhilesh.