Cooperative sector mukhiya NCUI President Chandra Pal Singh Yadav has thrown his weight behind Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Singh in an ongoing tussle for power between father and son being witnessed in the largest state of the country.
Chandra Pal who has been a Mulayam’s protégé so far decided to side with his son as has been the case with several other senior leaders of the SP. Readers would know that Chandra Pal belongs to Samajwadi Party and is a Rajya Sabha member. He was also treasurer of the party in the past.
On the day of a show-of-strength in Lucknow, Chandra Pal sat on the dais along with the CM, thereby making it amply clear as to where his loyalties lie.
Chandra Pal is also going to play an active role in the Akhilesh camp in the days to come as the Chief Minister is considering fighting Assembly elections from Jhansi- home turf of the ace cooperator.
Though Chandra Pal was in Delhi the whole Monday but he refused to take calls on the issue.
His close aides say he decided to side with Akhilesh due to the latter’s clean track-record. Being the head of the cooperative movement in the country, he is eager to be seen with a person who is making efforts to cleanse the party of criminals, said one of his associates on condition of anonymity.
They quoted cases of Atik Ahmad and many others with dubious background whom Shiv Pal Singh Yadav- the man opposed to Akhilesh intends to field as SP candidates in the upcoming elections. Chandra Pal supports Akhilesh on the issue, he added.
Chandra Pal has a lot of respect for Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) but it is not Netaji who is calling shots; Shiv Pal and Amar Singh are misguiding the senior leader and have made a father oppose his own son, said the source.