UP: Alert sounded after SP feud turns ugly

Officials said instructions have been sent to all District Magistrates and police chiefs following protests by Akhilesh supporters.

Lucknow, Dec 30: A high alert has been sounded across Uttar Pradesh after the ongoing war in the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) turned for worse on Friday with expulsion of UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav.

Officials said instructions have been sent to all District Magistrates and police chiefs following protests by Akhilesh supporters. Security meanwhile has been beefed up outside the SP headquarters in the state capital, the Chief Minister's residence, and the house of party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.

SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav made the announcement of the duo's expulsion in Lucknow, adding that the move has been taken to save the party.The SP supremo also said Ram Gopal Yadav was weakening Akhilesh instead of helping him. Mulayam said he would take a call on CM at an appropriate time.

[Read: Mulayam expells son Akhilesh from party for 6 years]

Earlier on Friday, Mulayam issued a showcause notice to Akhilesh for issuing a candidate list separately. A similar notice was also issued to o Ram Gopal Yadav for talking against the party line in media.

The crisis reached a flash point late on Thursday night when Akhilesh circulated his own list of 235 candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections, parallel to the party's official list of 393 nominees.

IANS