The Samajwadi Party president, Mulayam Singh on Sunday accepted his estranged party colleague, Amar Singh’s resignation, 11 days after the latter had quit from the posts of national general secretary, party spokesperson and from the parliamentary board of the party.
In a six-lined letter, dated January 17, 2010 sent to Mr. Amar Singh, the SP president said that his resignation has been accepted “with a heavy heart”. While accepting his resignation, Mr. Mulayam Singh expressed gratitude to Mr. Amar Singh for his efforts to strengthen the Samajwadi Party.
Mr. Amar Singh had resigned on January 6, 2010.
Though the SP president did not specify any reason for his decision to accept his resignation, highly-placed sources in the party said that Mr. Mulayam Singh was miffed at the views expressed by Amar Singh in an interview published in an English daily on Sunday. He had also not liked the reported aspersions cast on him by Mr. Amar Singh that Ram Gopal Yadav’s reaction against him had the alleged backing of Mr. Mulayam Singh, the sources said. He was left with no option but to accept the resignation.
The acceptance of his resignation had brought an end to speculations about his future in the Samajwadi Party, even though Mr. Amar Singh has still not quit the party. He is currently campaigning in Bhiwandi ( Maharashtra) for Abu Aasim Azmi’s son, Farhan Azmi, in the Assembly by-election.
The former SP national general secretary had apparently resigned from the party posts on health grounds, but his subsequent war of words with Mulayam’s brother and the leader of SP parliamentary party, Ram Gopal Yadav created an impression that there was much more than what met the eye.
Mr. Amar Singh had categorically stated that he would not withdraw his resignation, and neither would he attend the Saifai festival, presently underway in Mulayam’s native village in Etawah district. The Saifai invite had been extended to him by Mr. Mulayam Singh himself.
Mr. Amar Singh’s resignation was followed by the resignation of film actor, Sanjay Dutt from the post of national general secretary of the SP, and that of Brijesh Singh, secretary of Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha. Mr. Dutt was inducted in the party at the behest of Mr. Amar Singh.
A dominant section of the SP had blamed Mr. Amar Singh for the crisis in the party. He was held responsible for the exit of Mohammad Azam Khan, Beni Prasad Verma and Raj Babbar.
