Mulayam reinstates Ramgopal Yadav in SP

Ramgopal was sacked last month for 6 years as a retaliation to Akhilesh ousted Shivpal Singh Yadav

In a new twist to the Samajwadi Party (SP) saga, party president Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday reinstated Rajya Sabha MP and his cousin Ramgopal Yadav in the party and restored his erstwhile positions as well.

On Oct 23, Mulayam had sacked Ramgopal from SP for 6 years soon after Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had removed Shivpal Singh Yadav from the state cabinet.

Now, Ramgopal, who has been supporting Akhilesh in the purported ongoing power struggle in SP, continues to be the party's general secretary, national spokesperson, SP parliamentary party leader and the member of SP parliamentary board.

On Thursday, Ramgopal participated in the Rajya Sabha debate over the recent demonetisation of currency notes on behalf of SP on the inaugural day of Parliament's winter session.

It is no secret that Ramgopal shares a bitter relationship with Shivpal and in recent weeks both had traded charges against each other.

While Shivpal had accused Ramgopal of clandestinely joining hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to save his skin from the spectre of CBI probe in the ongoing Yadav Singh case of Noida land deals, Ramgopal had charged Shivpal with misinforming Mulayam and creating a wedge in the party.

The reinstatement of Ramgopal has further strengthened his position in the party despite having made some unpleasant remarks against Mulayam even going to the extent of saying Mulayam was jealous of Akhilesh.

However, Shivpal has suffered a net loss in the ongoing power struggle despite standing behind Mulayam all this while. Shivpal has not only lost his cabinet berth, but his public exchange of words with Akhilesh at public platforms does not augur well in his future political career.

Now, Shivpal only has the position of UP party president, but for a state level party like SP, he could at best be a pale shadow of the national party president (Mulayam), who has all along stood strongly behind Akhilesh all this while. It would not be long before Mulayam passes on the baton to Akhilesh to lead the party at national level.

The attempts of Shivpal to seal an alliance with like-minded parties such as Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) have not only taken a hit, but also diminished his stature within and outside party.