Akhilesh isolated, SP sinking into realms of despair

Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh is sinking into the realms of despair. The party leadership is confused, the cadres are hopeless and senior leaders see no future for the party.
A clear indication of this prevailing confusion is the induction of former MP Ramakant Yadav in the party on Sunday.
Ramakant Yadav is better known for his criminal antecedents. Akhilesh Yadav, who had denied entry to another criminal D.P. Yadav in 2012 and then Mukhtar Ansari in 2016, has welcomed Ramakant Yadav into the party fold.
“What do we make of this decision? “The feud in the party began in 2016 when Shivpal Yadav, the then state president, finalised the merger of Mukhtar Ansari’s Qaumi Ekta Dal into SP. Akhilesh refused to accept the decision and the seeds of division within the party were sown. Today, the same Akhilesh Yadav is welcoming Ramakant Yadav into the party,” said a senior party leader.
Party workers squarely blame Akhilesh Yadav for the exit of senior leaders from SP. Whether it was Ambica Chaudhary or Neeraj Shekhar or Naresh Agarwal, they all were unhappy with Akhilesh Yadav’s leadership.