2/01/2017

How Lalu brokered ‘peace’ between Mulayam and Akhilesh





Patna,(BiharTimes): Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad appeared to be torn apart between SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and UP chief minister Akhilesh Singh. That is why he was compelled to play an important role in bringing about, at least temporary, truce between the two.

It is said that he, along with UP minister Azam Khan and another SP leader from Mumbai, Abu Azmi, played a pivotal role in bringing about peace in the party on Saturday. It is other thing that a day later Akhilesh asserted and got himself appointed as the SP’s national president and expelled Amar Singh––said to be the main bone of contention.

Lalu’s problem is that he is now related to Mulayam’s family. His youngest daughter Raj Lakshmi is married to Mulayam’s grand-nephew Tej Pratap Singh Yadav, who RJD chief said is an Akhilesh supporter.

Reports said that he plunged into the role of peacemaker on Saturday, after receiving a call from Ashok Singh, the Uttar Pradesh RJD unit president.

Ashok reportedly told Lalu that the Samajwadi Party feud was going out of control and requested him to help resolve it.

“Last evening, I was very tense and in dilemma about whom to speak to, as both Akhilesh and Mulayam ji are dear to me,” Lalu was quoted in the Telegraph.

“When Ashok called me this morning, I could not stop myself and called Mulayam Singhji at 8am.”

“I told him 'Akhilesh is your son and you made this party but now the situation is turning ugly. I urged him to end this and call Akhilesh to settle the matter.”

The report said that Lalu did not stop there. He called Akhilesh and urged him to meet his father and end the issue with a peaceful talk with each other.

“I urged Akhilesh to go meet his father Mulayam Singh ji. I also told him to settle the small issue peacefully as a wrong message was going out to the people of Uttar Pradesh,” said Lalu.

“After speaking to him, I again called up Mulayam Singhji and told him ‘I have asked Akhilesh to meet you and you can call him to your residence’. I again called up Akhilesh to relay the message back to him.”

Lalu’s back-and-forth counselling and parleys with father and son must have had worked wonders as, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister went to Mulayam’s residence with SP leaders Azam Khan and Abu Azmi around 12:24pm.

Before 2:30pm, news had broken that Mulayam had revoked Akhilesh and Ram Gopal Yadav's suspension.

The daily reported that Lalu was glued to the television for developments in the SP feud all morning. So, when the news he was waiting for broke, the happiness was evident on Lalu's face.

“This is what I was expecting, look... everything is settled now,” he said.

“I congratulate Mulayam Singh ji for taking this decision. This move was necessary to keep communal forces away from the Uttar Pradesh elections. Now all the opposition parties will be finished. They should better sleep under the blanket as it’s very cold,” Lalu said  adding that he was just doing his duty as Mulayam’s ‘samdhi’.

Incidentally, this is not the first time Lalu has performed his “ samdhi's duty”. When problems between Akhilesh and uncle Shivpal Yadav RJD chief took matters in his own hands and pulled up nephew and uncle’s hands up in the air as they were busy spewing venom at each other from the dais.

“Akhilesh has worked hard for the state and he should remain the chief ministerial face,” Lalu said. “I heard Akhilesh had become emotional today, and I am hopeful that everything will calm down and the situation will normalise soon. I had also told Mulayam Singh ji not to be around useless people and sycophants as the elections are round the corner.”

However, he clarified he would not not blame Amar Singh directly but “I have heard from others that he is the one responsible for this chaos, but again I am saying that everything will become normal.”

He, however, accepted that the SP’s internal conflict would only benefit the opposition and it was Mulayam’s duty to end it.

Lalu said he and son, Tejaswi Yadav, would campaign for the UP elections.

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