Won't tolerate groupism: Mulayam to SP leaders

Yadav also came down heavily on a cabinet minister against whom he had received a number of complaints

Sending out stern warning against rivalry within the party, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today asked party leaders to mend their ways or be ready to face action.

"I know what you all are doing. Mend your ways and shun differences," Yadav told SP leaders, and asked them to ensure the party's victory in at least 75 Lok Sabha seats in UP.

"No groupism will be tolerated any more," he said at a meeting of party ministers, legislators and office bearers, according to a source who attended the meeting at the party headquarters to discuss the preparations for 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Yadav came down heavily on a cabinet minister against whom he had received a number of complaints, the source said.

The minister was in the news for reaching late at a recent laptop distribution programme after which a girl was allegedly raped.

"Action will be taken against those working against party candidates who have been asked to visit workers' places and hear their problems," a senior SP leader said in the meeting.

The party leadership has taken serious note of the alleged differences within the party and reports that some leaders were working against party candidates, and issued directions to work unitedly.

SP General Secretary Ramgopal Yadav told reporters that the party was confident of winning as many LS seats from UP as no other party had won from any other state, adding that the mood was in favour of SP.

In a bid to stand youth in good stead, it was decided that Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will meet them on first of every month and hear their grievances, the source said.

The party also decided to cancel its December 14 rally in Lucknow, after the culmination of 'rath yatras' demanding scheduled caste status to 17 backward castes, the source said.