Alert Sounded In UP As SP ‘War’ Gets Ugly 

Lucknow: A high alert has been sounded across Uttar Pradesh after the ongoing war in the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) turned for worse on Friday with expulsion of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav.

Officials said instructions have been sent to all District Magistrates and police chiefs following protests by Akhilesh supporters. Security, meanwhile, has been beefed up outside the SP headquarters in the state capital, the Chief Minister's residence, and the house of party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.

SP Workers Asked To Stay Away From Meet Called By Expelled Leaders

Toughening its stand against the expelled duo of General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party on Friday warned members and leaders of the party to stay away from the "emergency national convention" called by the former.

In a letter to party leaders, the party's Uttar Pradesh chief Shivpal Singh Yadav said the convention was unconstitutional and that they should not travel to the state capital for it or sign any papers with regard to it. He went on to state that anyone from the party who would be participating in the meeting will be considered working against the party and face action. Earlier on Friday evening, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had also scoffed at the meeting and said the party constitution mandated that the national President okay such a meet. To this, a defiant Ram Gopal Yadav had retorted that the SP chief does not know the constitution and that since he himself was engaged in unconstitutional acts, his permission was not necessary.