Maha SP chief Abu Azmi blames Amar Singh for divide in party

Samajwadi Party's Maharashtra unit chief Abu Azmi today lashed out at the senior leader Amar Singh, "blaming" him for the rift between the party president Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.
"We want Samajwadi Party led by Netaji (Mulayam Singh) and Akhilesh, minus Amar Singh. It is the same Amar Singh who convinced Netaji to remove his own son Akhilesh from the post of state chief of SP in UP," Azmi told PTI here.
Asked about reasons for his strong opposition to Amar Singh, who was backed by Mulayam at a stormy meeting of the party leaders in Lucknow today, Azmi said, "Many leaders have left the party only because of Amar Singh. I have communicated to my senior leaders in UP that Amar Singh can be a personal friend, but he should be kept away from the party.

"It is the same Amar Singh, who after expulsion from SP, had campaigned against the party and its candidates. If he was so loyal, then why did he contest election against SP leadership in the past? Hence, he should be kept away from the party," said Azmi.
At a meeting in Lucknow, Mulayam Singh put up a strong defence of his brother Shivpal Yadav and General Secretary Amar Singh but ruled out replacing Akhilesh who offered to quit as CM.