Netaji should allow SP to contest UP polls under Akhilesh: Abu Azmi

Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi on Tuesday urged party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav to leave aside his anger and allow the party to contest the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections under the leadership of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

"Netaji should leave aside all his anger and should allow the Samajwadi Party to contest the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls under Akhilesh," Azmi told ANI.

"Akhilesh ji has already said that he will give in writing that after the elections, he can be removed from the chief minister's post. Whomsoever you want to make the Chief Minister, make him/her. Netaji should himself form the cabinet if the Samajwadi Party emerges as victorious in the elections. We all pray that Samajwadi Party, under the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav, should again form the government in Uttar Pradesh," he added.

The Samajwadi Party split on Sunday with a national convention declaring Akhilesh the new national president, a post that was held by his father.

The convention also made Mulayam, the patron of the party.

As the day progressed, the fight between the rival factions turned ugly with supporters of the two groups fighting for the party office.

The Chief Minister after being proposed as the national president said his respect for his father was more than ever, adding that he would stand against those conspiring against the party.