Days after the debacle in the Uttar Pradesh bypoll, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav dissolved all the party organisations with immediate effect.
Interestingly, the party’s Uttar Pradesh president Naresh Uttam Patel has, however, been spared the axe. Party spokespersons also continue to retain their position.
“The national president of the Samajwadi Party Akhilesh Yadav, except for the State president of the party, with immediate effect dissolved party's national, State, and district executive bodies. National presidents, State presidents, and district presidents of all the party's organisations, including youth and women's wings, have also been dissolved," the party said on its Twitter handle.
‘Action was due’
Though no official reason has been assigned behind the decision, it is being seen as a fallout of the party’s loss in Rampur and Azamgarh, its traditional strongholds. However, party spokesperson Abdul Hafiz Gandhi said the decision should not be linked with the performance in the bypolls and the action was due after the Assembly poll results.
“It is a natural move after the Assembly polls to reinvigorate the party and remove the deadwood,” said Mr. Gandhi.
While many leaders who are seen as close to Mr. Yadav have been shelved, Mr. Patel’s survival continued to baffle some party workers. In fact, responding to the announcement on the party’s Twitter handle, many workers questioned the decision to retain Mr. Patel. Belonging to the Kurmi caste, the OBC leader has been a trusted soldier of the SP since 1992 and became the party president in 2017 when he replaced Shivpal Yadav after the fracas in the Yadav family. Since then he has been seen as a staunch loyalist of Akhilesh.
A party leader requesting anonymity said by retaining Mr. Patel, the SP president has once again shown that loyalty and friendship were more important to him than performance. He cited the example of Sanjay Lather who was given the ticket from the Maant constituency in Mathura despite strong reservations by alliance partner Rashtriya Lok Dal. “He lost the poll but he was awarded the post of the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council,” he said.
