SP feud: Score for team Akhilesh, sacked leader Ram Gopal reinstated

New Delhi: In a win for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s camp, sacked Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav was reinstated as SP General Secretary and spokesperson on Thursday.

“Even though they had removed me from the party, I was always with the party in spirit,” Ram Gopal Yadav said after being reinstated. “I have never said or done anything against the party line. I will be part of SP Central Parliamentary board,” he added.

Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav said the expulsion of his cousin Ramgopal Yadav has been revoked.

“Expulsion of Ramgopal Yadav has been revoked. He will continue as leader of party in RS, spokesman, party National General Secretary and member of party’s national parliamentary board,” Mulayam Singh said in a release issued here.

Ramgopal, who is considered close to UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, was expelled from the party for six years on October 23 on the instructions of the SP supremo.

Ramgopal is a cousin of Mulayam and Shivpal and is considered to play the role of a “think tank”. He had strongly supported Akhilesh in the family feud in the Yadav clan.

While announcing his expulsion, Shivpal had levelled serious allegations against Ramgopal, saying he was working as part of a “conspiracy” in collusion with the BJP to weaken the SP and tarnish the Akhilesh Yadav government’s image.

“Ramgopal had met thrice with top leaders of the saffron party,” Shivpal had said, accusing his cousin of “patronising and shielding corrupt elements.”.

Ramgopal was also blamed for the SP’s breakup from the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar election last year.

He was sacked hours after Shivpal and three other ministers considered close to him were sacked from the State cabinet by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

PTI