10th National Convention of SP in Agra on Thursday

The 10th National Convention of the Samajwadi Party (SP) will be held in Agra on Thursday, a party leader said on Tuesday.

The convention will take place at the Taarghar grounds in Sadar Bazar of the Cantonment area in the Taj city, chief spokesman of the party Rajendra Chowdhary said.

More than 15,000 delegates are expected to come from 25 states, where the party has its organisational presence, to attend the convention. The convention will also see the election of the National President of the party.

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is the incumbent National President of SP, after he was elected as the party's national chief at a special convention called on January 1 this year.

Party's founder Mulayam Singh Yadav was National President of the SP for 25 years before he was unceremoniously removed from the post by his son.

The tenure of the new President, according to the party's constitution, would be for five years.

The convention will kick-start with flag hoisting by Akhilesh Yadav, after which a political agenda would be taken up for deliberations. Chowdhary accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments at the Centre and in the state of being divisive and said the SP would fight it tooth and nail.

Before the convention, the national executive would meet on Wednesday evening.

Although both Mulayam and his younger brother Shivpal, who are not at the best of relations with Akhilesh, were not invited at the state executive meeting last month, sources said Akhilesh personally met his father last week and extended him an invitation for the convention.

With still no thaw in the cold and bitter relations between the father and son, there is no confirmation whether Mulayam would attend the meet.

--IANS

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