Family feud may determine political future of India’s largest state in next month’s elections
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav executed a hostile takeover of the socialist Samajwadi Party, toppling his own father, Mulayam Singh Yadav
After being tongue-lashed and expelled from his own party, the leader of India’s largest state had two options: bow to the will of his father or commit political patricide weeks before an election.
“Giving up power in old age is something that doesn’t happen in India ... so we now have a patricidal war in Uttar Pradesh,” said PR Ramesh, an editor at the Delhi-based Open magazine.
Giving up power in old age is something that doesn’t happen in India ... so we now have a patricidal war in Uttar Pradesh
After paving the way for his Australian-educated son to become chief minister following state polls five years ago, the 77-year-old Mulayam continued to lead the socialist Samajwadi Party (SP).
During his term in charge of the state – which has a population of about 215 million – Akhilesh has frequently bitten his tongue following criticism from his father, a former Indian defence minister.
The older man has also been a source of embarrassment, especially after saying of a high-profile rape case that “boys will be boys”. But with state elections starting next month, the 43-year-old Akhilesh has been trying to assert his authority by publicly admonishing his father and sacking an uncle.
A furious Mulayam responded by expelling his son from the SP on Friday but then found the tables had been turned as Akhilesh engineered a hostile takeover of the party and was elected its president.
“Who made him chief minister?” Mulayam said to reporters. “He doesn’t seem to understand that his future is now doomed. He is not even listening to my advice.”