Mulayam expels Akhilesh, Ram Gopal Yadav from Samajwadi Party for 6 years

NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Friday expelled his son and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his cousin Ram Gopal Yadav from the party for six years.Flanked by brother Shivpal Yadav, who has been at loggerheads with the Chief Minister, Mulayam said he had taken the action against Akhilesh and Ramgopal to save the party which he had built through hard efforts. He said the party will decide on the new chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.The SP chief accused Ram Gopal of indulging in anti-party activities and said that he was weakening the party ahead of the assembly elections.Ram Gopal Yadav had, earlier in the day, called a national convention of the Samajwadi Party on January 1 following a rift over the list of SP candidates finalised by Mulayam Singh for assembly polls.Hitting out at Ram Gopal Yadav, Mulayam said "no one has the right to call national executive meeting" other than the party chief.Mulayam also accused Ram Gopal Yadav of hurting the interests of chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and misleading him.The SP supremo also hit out at Akhilesh Yadav for siding with Ram Gopal Yadav in the party infighting. Akhilesh does not understand that Ram Gopal is trying to destroy his future," Mulayam said.Mulayam explained that the decision was taken after Ramgopal, in his capacity as general secretary, called an emergency meeting of the party on January 1 and Akhilesh "supported" it.Ramgopal called the meeting after showcause notices were issued to him and Akhilesh by Mulayam for releasing a list of candidates, parallel to the one issued officially by Mulayam."How can he (Akhilesh) release the list when the party has declared its candidates? Both Akhilesh and Ramgopal want to finish the party. I will not let it happen. I have built this party through hard work," Mulayam said."I had made Akhilesh the Chief Minister with much fanfare," he added.