The Mulayam-Shivpal camp were also braced for any and all eventualities.
Late night meetings continued at the Vikramaditya Marg residence of the family patriarch and the party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.
There were reports that if in the seesaw battle of power, the former wrestler saw “something more in the offing” he might remove Akhilesh and take over the reins of power himself, to exert control over the state government machinery.
With polls likely to be announced any time now, the Mulayam-Shivpal faction does not want to allow Akhilesh to stay in control of the government, as it “gives him a lot of power” in the bitter feud.
The Mulayam camp was also keeping a close watch on affiliations of party legislators and leaders.
“It is easy to extend background support to the Chief Minister, but to defy party line and do it openly is going to need quiet a bit of courage,” a senior minister averred while telling IANS that “most party rebels might fall in line after the tough decisions taken by ‘Netaji’ Mulayam Singh”.
The party also said that so far support for Akhilesh has come only from a “handful of youngsters, women of very least consequence in the party”.
