Shivpal quits Akhilesh cabinet, and as state unit chief

Lucknow: In a significant late night development, senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Shivpal Singh Yadav resigned from the Akhilesh Yadav cabinet on Thursday. He also resigned as the party's state unit president, a post to which he was appointed just two days ago, a senior party source said.

Shivpal Yadav took the decision after a meeting with his elder brother and party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav. He sent his resignation to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

The development is being seen as a rebuff to all possibilities of coming together of the once powerful minister and his nephew, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

Earlier in the day Shivpal had ruled out quitting the ministry and said it was immaterial which posts he held as a minister.

Akhilesh Yadav had on Tuesday stripped his uncle Shivpal from the plum posts of PWD, Cooperative and Irrigation minister.