Fresh unease after party declares 9 candidates

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Press trust of India
Lucknow, Oct 3: Turf war in the ruling Samwajwadi Party surfaced again Monday as it announced candidates for nine Assembly seats, including the son of murder accused politician Amar Mani Tripathi, leaving Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav visibly unhappy as he said he was “not aware”.
Yadav, who had demanded a say in selection of candidates for the next year’s elections during his power tussle with uncle and state party unit chief Shivpal Yadav recently, said the candidates may be changed.
“I do not have any information. I am at present inaugurating this building. Tuesday I will start metro work in Kanpur. In future, more candidates will be changed,” he said on the sidelines of an event when referred to the announcement.
Earlier in the day, Shivpal Yadav declared the SP candidates for nine Assembly seats besides changing the nominees of 14 constituencies for the 2017 polls. Among the candidates announced is Aman Mani Tripathi, son of Amar Mani Tripathi, who is in jail in connection with poetess Madhumita murder case. He has been given a ticket from Nautanwa seat in Maharajganj district, the SP state president said.
Asked about the party giving a ticket to Aman Mani and refusing a ticket to Atul Pradhan, who is considered close to him, Akhilesh said, “I have given up all my rights. All the rights are with the people.” On being quizzed further over the issue, he said, “Now I can either be truthful or political. I cannot change some of my habits.”
Later in the day, a meeting was held at SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s residence in which Ramgopal Yadav, Shivpal Yadav and Akhilesh were present. “There are no differences in the party over ticket distribution,” Ramgopal said. Asked about giving ticket to Aman Mani, Ramgopal said he was given a ticket in 2012 also.
On being asked about Akhilesh’s ignorance about the ticket distribution, Ramgopal said, “It is the work of state president and there is nothing wrong in it.” Akhilesh and Shivpal were locked in a power tussle recently after the Chief Minister was removed as president of the party’s state unit to be replaced by his uncle.