PREPARATIONS for SP’s national convention at Janeshwar Mishra Park on Sunday, called by party general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav on Friday, did not take a backseat even after Ram Gopal and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav were expelled from the party on Friday. Workers involved in the preparations said while they had stopped work twice till Sunday afternoon — when the two expelled and reinducted on Saturday — they were directed to ensure that all arrangements were in place by Sunday morning. Watch What Else Is Making News: Akhilesh’s supporters, who were overseeing the preparations at the park, said a “new Akhilesh” would emerge from Sunday’s meeting. Their hope — he would be anointed the national president or executive national president of SP. Youth party leader Arvind Giri claimed the convention would discuss proposals for appointment of Akhilesh as the national president, removal of Shivpal Yadav as the SP state chief and removal of criminal elements like Atiq Ahmed from the party. “Akhilesh should become the national president whether Netaji approves or not. Tomorrow, a new Akhilesh will leave this convention. He will be free from all hurdles, like working under pressure of his uncles,” he said. “This is the right time to appoint Akhilesh as the national president. Netaji himself had said several times that he will not let SP get old. Now, it is time for him to make way for the young. He will only get more respect by doing so,” said Sanjay Vidyarthi, a party leader from Gonda. Awadhesh Verma, a zila panchayat member from Bahraich, added: “We expect Akhilesh to be appointed as the party president. Netaji can be made patron of the party. Shivpal and Amar Singh should be thrown out of the party. They seem to be conniving with the BJP. There will be new SP in the new year, free from the brokers.” Ajeet Yadav, district vice-president of Ambedkar Nagar, said he expects that a proposal for Akhilesh’s appointment as SP president will come up at the convention and he will support it. Brajesh Yadav, former president of SP’s youth wing, who was expelled by Shivpal, said: “We are with Akhilesh. We support him in everything.” Leaders close to Akhilesh made rounds of the park to check the preparations till late Saturday. Lucknow IG A Satish Ganesh and DIG Praveen Kumar also checked security arrangements at the venue. “We have made arrangements for 50,000 chairs but expect more people to attend the convention. This will be the first time when preparations for such a big event has been completed in just one day,” said a party worker. “We were confused till the afternoon as twice we were asked to stop work. But later, we were directed to speed up work,” said another party worker. Till evening, no leaders close to Mulayam or Shivpal had visited the venue. Labourers, busy erecting pandals and installing sound system, are expected to work through the night. Minister and vice-president of Janeshwar Mishra Park Trust, Rajendra Choudhary, said: “Tomorrow is the meeting of the party’s public representative and it would be attended by several workers and others.”
