Akhilesh sacks Shivpal, 4 other ministers; crisis deepens in SP

Akhilesh also sacked four other ministers -- Narad Rai, Om Prakash, Shadab Fatima, Gayatri Prasad Prajapati -- all considered close to Shivpal Singh Yadav, who is also the state unit chief of the SP.

Lucknow, Oct 23: In a swift and sudden move, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday sacked his uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav as a senior minister in his Cabinet.

Akhilesh also sacked four other ministers -- Narad Rai, Om Prakash, Shadab Fatima, Gayatri Prasad Prajapati -- all considered close to Shivpal Singh Yadav, who is also the state unit chief of the Samajwadi Party (SP).

The development comes as a jolt to the efforts at truce between the two warring factions in the ruling Samajwadi Party.

It indicates the party is heading towards something big, sources told IANS.

IANS