Patch-up on cards? Akhilesh invites Mulayam to conclave after 3 months

Lucknow: Truce seems to be finally returning to the Samajwadi family in Uttar Pradesh.

After Mulayam Singh Yadav ruled out floating a new party earlier this week, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav met his estranged father and party founder on Thursday and invited him to attend the party’s national convention in Agra on October 5.

The meeting at Mulayam Yadav’s residence lasted an hour and was the first between the father and son after a gap of almost three months. It signalled that a patch-up could be in the works between the two who were earlier involved in a bitter power tussle over leading the party.

SP MLC Sunil Sajan told reporters, “Netaji (Mulayam) has agreed to attend the national convention. He is, after all, the patron of the party.”

Sources said that at the national convention, Mulayam Yadav could once again be made the party president while Akhilesh Yadav could be made the working president with all executive powers.

On September 25, Mulayam Yadav had announced that he will not float a new party and that his blessings remained with his son.

Akhilesh Yadav welcomed Netaji’s turnaround and tweeted, ”Netaji zindabad, Samaj-wadi Party zindabad”.

Mulayam Yadav’s decision was termed as a “betrayal” by the Shivpal Yadav faction of the party that had been looking up to the patriarch’s next move for a new political future.

During the Sept 23 SP state convention in Lucknow, Akhilesh Yadav  said, “Netaji is my father and this party belongs to him. His blessings are with us and we will carry forward his legacy. My father has always been with us and will remain with us.”