Lalu speaks to Mulayam, Akhilesh for a patch-up

Amid deepening political crisis in Samajwadi Party, RJD President Lalu Prasad today spoke to Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh Yadav to facilitate a patch-up between them and advised both not to fight the upcoming UP elections separately.
Prasad had a telephonic conversation with both SP President Mulayam Singh Yadav and his chief minister son Akhilesh Yadav this morning, the RJD president told reporters here.
He said that the RJD chief urged both of them to patch up and advised them not to go into the crucial state elections separately.
"Takrao se virodhiyo ko milega takat (friction will provide strength to rivals)," the RJD chief told them.

Prasad has family ties with SP chief as his daughter is married to Mainpuri MP Tej Pratap Yadav, grandnephew of Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Lalu Prasad had recently participated in the foundation day function of the SP at Lucknow and had sought to calm relations between Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle and state party president Shivpal Singh Yadav on the dais.

He had made both of them raise hands with him at the function symbolising unity.
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Lalu Prasad told reporters that after talking to Mulayam
Singh Yadav, he had dialled Akhilesh Yadav and asked him to go and meet his father.

"Now I have heard that Akhilesh Yadav has gone to Mulayam Singh Yadav's house with senior minister Azam Khan," Prasad, who is making a peace bid between father and son, said.
Prasad said that he advised Mulayam Singh Yadav not to entertain "altu-faltu log" (unimportant people).
When asked if he was referring to SP General Secretary Amar Singh, the RJD chief answered in the affirmative and said people keep telling him about Singh's activities "in creating trouble within SP."
"I am hopeful the matter would be settled within SP," Prasad said.