After Shivpal's threat to quit, Mulayam lashes out at party leaders

On the Independence Day, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav lashed out at his party leaders, legislators and ministers, accusing them of land grabbing and harassing poor people.

Visibly angry at his partymen, specially after his younger brother and PWD Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav on Sunday threatened to quit the government, Mulayam Singh said if Shivpal went away, the party and the government would be in grave crisis.

"Unhone pehle bhi ek baar istifa dia tha. Maine mana kar dia. Agar chale gaye hote to aisi-taisi ho jaati (He also resigned once earlier. I refused to accept the resignation. Had he gone, it would have been a crisis)," the Samajwadi Party chief said.

He also told party leaders he was aware of their wrong-doings and that they should bear in mind that the people who give power can also take it back in no time.

Mulayam has been critical at the functioning of the state government. In the past he has openly rebuked ministers, not even sparing his Chief Minister-son Akhilesh Yadav. But the tongue-lashing he gave his party colleagues on Monday is by far the most scathing.

The former union defence minister also warned the party leaders that he will not tolerate whatever was going on in the party.

If he were to assert himself, half the leaders will go with him and half with Shivpal Singh Yadav, Mulayam said.

Opposition parties said that now it has become abundantly clear that Samajwadi Party's internal fighting has pushed it to imminent collapse.

--IANS

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