Call for unity?

Relations between Akhilesh Yadav and Mulayam Singh turned bitter in the run-up to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections earlier this year

Much is being read in the decision by Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav to invite his father and SP founder Mulayam Singh to a party meet scheduled next week. Relations between the two had turned bitter in the run-up to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections earlier this year. So Akhilesh's visit to Mulayam’s residence — the first meeting between the two in many months — to invite him to the October 5 national executive meeting holds great significance for party leaders. Mulayam and his brother Shivpal were not invited to the party’s state executive meet held on September 23 and Mulayam was said to be mulling the launch of a new party with Lok Dal retaining the word 'Samajwadi' in its name.