Akhilesh Yadav Gets A Dinner Surprise Amid Cross-Voting Buzz In Key Polls

"Some of our leaders who want personal gains can go to the BJP," Akhilesh Yadav said this morning.

In a major setback to Samajwadi Party ahead of the voting for 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, its chief whip in the Assembly has resigned. The resignation of Manoj Kumar Pandey, MLA from Unchahar, came hours after as many as 8 MLAs skipped a dinner hosted by party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

The developments are playing out against the backdrop of a buzz over cross-voting in the election to the Upper House. Besides hitting the SP's prospects in this key election, the infighting may compound the party's problems months ahead of the general election.

Earlier, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had alleged that the BJP is putting pressure on the party's MLAs. "This is how they work. They instil fear, threaten people, use agencies or take up any old case and pressure them. All these will not work in this election," he said yesterday.