Shivpal Yadav replaces Akhilesh as Samajwadi Party president in UP

Shivpal Singh Yadav on Tuesday replaced Akhilesh Yadav as the new state president of Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh.

Akhilesh, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, has been the party's state president for more than four years.

The move comes at a time when the state is gearing up for assembly elections which are scheduled to place next year.

Earlier, Shivpal Singh Yadav had reportedly announced the party's first list of 142 candidates for the 2017 polls.