SP feud: Mulayam seeks derecognition of Ram Gopal as party leader in RS

He wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari informing him about the expulsion of Ramgopal Yadav from the party.

New Delhi, Jan 9: Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday demanded derecognition of Ram Gopal Yadav as leader of the party group in Rajya Sabha following his expulsion from the party.

He wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari informing him about the expulsion of Ramgopal Yadav from the party and, in effect, as its leader in the Upper House. Mulayam also urged Ansari to shift Ramgopal's seat to the back benches following his expulsion from the party.

As of now, he has been occupying one of the front benches near BSP supremo Mayawati's seat.

"Chairman Rajya Sabha has received letter from Sh. Mulayam S Yadav, intimating expulsion of Sh. Ramgopal Yadav from SP--will be duly examined," OSD to the Rajya Sabha Chairman Gurdeep Singh Sappal tweeted.

Sources in the party said the letter informed the Rajya Sabha secretariat that Ram Gopal, a cousin of Mulayam, was expelled from the party for six years on 30 December, 2016 and ceases to be leader of SP's Parliamentary Party in the Upper House. There is no word as of now on whom Mulayam will appoint as the party's new leader in Rajya Sabha. Close to Akhilesh, Ram Gopal is seen by Mulayam as the main reason behind the feud in Samajwadi Party and the Yadav clan.

PTI