Akhilesh Yadav triggers speculation of stepping down as SP Chief

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday triggered a speculation of him stepping down from the post of the Samajwadi Party president.

"The Samajwadi Party will choose its next national president before September 30, and I assure we will also work on our flaws," said Yadav at a meeting organised for the review of the party's defeat in the recent Assembly elections.

Akhilesh further stated that he and his party have reviewed the drubbing and will also work on it soon.

"My party people and I have reviewed the defeat and the work on resolving issues is underway. Our membership campaign will start from April 15 and take place in the whole of Uttar Pradesh, only after that the National President will be elected by September 30," said Yadav.

Yadav had fought the recently held assembly elections in alliance with the Congress President Rahul Gandhi, where they suffered a defeat at the hands of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which came to power in the politically crucial state with a brute majority.

Earlier in the day, Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and companion brother Shivpal Yadav were not part of party's deliberations meet.