Breaking: Mulayam Sacks Son Chief Minister Akhilesh From Samajwadi Party For Six Years

Former chief minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav has expelled his son and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav from the party for six years for “indulging in anti-party activities”.

The SP supremo has said he will decide who will be the next chief minister of the state.

Mulayam has also expelled party general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav for six years for indulging in anti-party activities.

The Akhilesh faction with Ram Gopal Yadav's support came up with a separate list of candidates, sparking a crisis.

Mulayam said "no one has the right to call national council meeting" other than the party chief, and the decision was taken to give a "strong message" to party cadres.

He also appealed to party workers to not attend the convention called by the Akhilesh-Ram Gopal faction.

What does it mean for the upcoming state elections?

This move comes as a blow to any prospect of a Bihar-like mahagathbandhan of non-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance in Uttar Pradesh. Any such alliance would have had to have the SP as its driving force. But now, it seems like the SP itself needs a gathbandhan between its warring factions.

This leaves the SP, which has the cadre, and Akhilesh, the face of leadership in the state, divided.

The UP election may well come down to a contest between Bahujan Samaj Party and the BJP.

With inputs from IANS