General Secretary of the Samajwadi Party, Ramgopal Yadav declared current UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav as the new national president of the party on Jan 1, 2017. He replaced father Mulayam Singh Yadav as the new party president.
This announcement was made at the emergency party meeting held at Lucknow's Neshwar Mishra Park.
Akhilesh Yadav was selected as SP national president with a unanimous national executive board. He will now reconstitute all the party's state bodies.
Mulayam Singh Yadav was transferred to the post of supreme guide or margdarshak of the party, whose main job was to advise the new leadership.
Shivpal Yadav, president of the Samajwadi Party's UP unit was also removed from his post. Naresh Uttam has been appointed in his place.
An emergency convention was held by several party members and prominent leaders.
The move was followed by the recent expulsion of Akhilesh Yadav and Ramgopal Yadav from the party by then chief Mulayam Singh Yadav which was revoked a day later.
The meeting where Akhilesh was selected party president was called unconstitutional, undisciplined and against the party image by Mulayam Singh Yadav.
This suggests a party split.
Meanwhile, Mulayam Singh Yadav approached the EC to stake claim over the cycle symbol hours after canceling the Jan 5 party convention called by him.
Claiming to have the backing of the SP Parliamentary Board, he said the party symbol cycle belonged to the party president.
Ram Gopal Yadav moved a resolution at emergency convention of SP in Lucknow anointing Akhilesh as party president.
He said as per SP constitution, the decision needs the backing of the Parliamentary Board which was absent.
About the Samajwadi Party- Founded: October 4, 1992
- Newspaper: Samajwadi Bulletin
- Ideology: Left-wing populism, Democratic socialism
- Political position: Left-wing politics
- Alliance: Janata Parivar (2015-present), Left Front (1992-2015)
- Founder: Mulayam Singh Yadav
