Mulayam expels Akhilesh, Ram Gopal from Samajwadi Party for six years

Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Friday expelled Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and National General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav from the party for six years over indiscipline.

"I solely founded the party, what is their (Akhilesh and Ram Gopal) contribution? They are destroying the party," he said.

"To save the party, we have expelled both Ram Gopal and Akhilesh Yadav for six years from the party. No one has the right to call for a national executive meet other than party chief and by doing this you have hurt the party's interest," Mulayam said in a press briefing.

Earlier in the day, Mulayam issued a showcause notice to Akhilesh for issuing a candidate list separately for the upcoming state assembly polls.

"I will decide as to who will be the chief ministerial candidate of the party," he insisted.

This move comes after Akhilesh, earlier on Thursday, released a list of 235 candidates out of the total 403 seats for upcoming state assembly elections, a day after party supremo had released the official list.

"We have declared list of 325 candidates for the 2017 assembly polls; 78 seats still remain. Name of candidates for rest of the 78 seats will be announced soon," Mulayam said on Wednesday while announcing the list.

The Samajwadi Party supremo announced the first list in the absence of his son, who is at loggerheads with his uncle Shivpal Yadav over distribution of tickets.

Akhilesh's name did not figure in the first list. Mulayam, however, said that his son, being the Chief Minister, can contest from any assembly seat he wishes to.