TIL Desk/National/Lucknow/ Supporters of rival SP factions today clashed outside the party headquarters here ahead of a crucial meeting called by Mulayam Singh Yadav. Camp followers of Akhilesh and his sacked uncle Shivpal Yadav exchanged blows as tension mounted before the meet. Police used force to disperse the slogan-shouting supporters who tried to break the cordon to march towards the party office.
Tension was palpable much before the meeting began with youth supporters of Akhilesh, who sought to mount pressure on the leadership in support of the chief minister. The meeting, where Akhilesh was present, assumed significance a day after he engaged in a face-off with his father by sacking each other’s loyalists Ramgopal Yadav and Shivpal Yadav.
Akhilesh yesterday first sacked Shivpal, his uncle and party’s state unit chief, along with three other “pro-Amar Singh” ministers from his Cabinet. Mulayam, in a tit-for-tat action, expelled Ramgopal, pro-CM cousin and SP’s national general secretary, from the party for six years.
