Ready to step back if I am the reason: Atiq Ahmed on split in SP

Samajwadi Party member Atiq Ahmed on Saturday expressed his disappointment over the recent split in the party, saying that if he was reason behind the feud, he was ready to step back.

"If I am the reason, I am ready to back off," said Ahmed.

Calling the incident of the suspension of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and party general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav from the party for six years as unfortunate, Ahmed said secular forces have weakened.

"It is very unfortunate. Secular forces have weakened," he said.

Expressing his wish of unity in the party, he said the party should not split.

"Party should not split. We did not form our own party because we want this party to be one," he said.

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Friday expelled his son Akhilesh Yadav from the party for six years.

Ram Gopal Yadav was also been expelled for six years by the party chief. He has also been stripped of all party posts.

"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.