It's not family feud but 'sarkari ladai', says Akhilesh

Lucknow, Sep 14: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said his conflict with uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav was a "sarkari ladai" (government battle), not a family feud.

Interacting with reporters on the sidelines of an event at his official residence here, Akhilesh Yadav said: "This is a tussle in the government, not the family."

The Chief Minister quickly added that he always did what Samajwadi Party leader and his father Mulayam Singh Yadav told him to do.

"I generally go by what Netaji tells me but, yes, I do take some decisions on my own," he said, in an apparent explanation of his action of late Tuesday when he divested Shivpal Yadav of plum portfolios.

That happened after Akhilesh Yadav was removed as the state party chief and replaced by Shivpal Yadav. 

Akhilesh Yadav added on Wednesday that Mulayam Singh Yadav was the tallest leader in the ruling party and everyone in the family adhered to what he said.

In an indirect reference to Rajya Sabha member Amar Singh, who was recently taken back into the party fold, Akhilesh Yadav said there were "some outsiders" who were trying to influence the government decisions.

How can a government run under such circumstances, he asked. 

Akhilesh Yadav's comments came as Shivpal Yadav flew to New Delhi to meet party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Akhilesh Yadav earlier cancelled all official engagements.

The Chief Minister had earlier sacked two ministers -- Gayatri Prajapati (Mining) and Rajkishore Singh (Panchayti Raj) -- considered close to Mulayam Singh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav on Monday.

He also removed Chief Secretary Deepak Singhal, who was also known to be close to Shivpal Yadav, on Tuesday.