SP identifies 3,500 workers ‘guilty’ of misusing party name

The Samajwadi Party has identified nearly 3,500 workers across the state who are misusing the party's name by using the party flag, stickers, and hooters on their vehicles. The party has decided to act tough and action, including expulsion, is likely as an image-building exercise.

At a party meeting on January 22, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had stated that people who had no connection with the party in the past and had not served in the struggle and the election were moving about, "sporting flags, stickers of Mission 2014 on their vehicles. Even our workers who are using them should remove these".

SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav, while interacting with party workers on Monday, stated that such workers will be expelled and even legal action could be taken where necessary. "I have myself seen hoardings which have 12 pictures. They should mend their ways", Mulayam said.

The SP had constituted a 15-member committee to deal with the matter. "Letters have been sent to district presidents. They were asked to submit the names of the party workers who are flouting party directives," SRS Yadav, state secretary of SP said.

He stated that reports from many districts had not yet come. "We are still compiling the lists", he said, adding that it is up to the party leadership to decide on the disciplinary action.

Party sources said lists of 3,500 such workers had already reached the SP office. A list of maximum 300 names has come from Ghaziabad, 281 from Agra, 178 from Allahabad, 98 from Meerut, 38 from Moradabad, 64 from Varanasi and 32 from Gorakhpur. Some district units have even sent pictures of hoardings where SP workers have displayed their own pictures with top SP leaders. District units have been asked to check the background of these people.

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