Akhilesh replaces Shivpal as Chairman of Lohia Trust, second to come under SP chief’s command

Digital Desk | Lucknow, Sep 14 (IANS) Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is set to replace his uncle Shivpal Yadav as the Chairman of Lohia Trust, marking a key organisational shift in the Samajwadi Party (SP). The Trust, formed with an objective of spreading socialist ideas and raising funds for the party, is set to see a ‘smooth transition’ as all eight members including Shivpal Yadav are understood to have given consent in support of Akhilesh Yadav, taking over its reins. Shivpal Yadav controlled the operations and management of the Trust for almost a decade and now Akhilesh Yadav will take charge of it. With new responsibility, the SP supremo will now head two key Trusts - namely Lohia Trust and Janeshwar Trust, the key bodies representing and propagating socialist ideas as conceived by the party founders. The Lohia Trust holds great importance among those associated with the Samajwadi Party as it was established before the foundation of Samajwadi Party, making it an inseparable part of its legacy. Its objectives have been propagating socialist ideology and raising funds for the party. The change in Trust’s chairmanship holds significance for the Samajwadi Party because this has its roots in the family feud that broke out in 2017. The late SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav had sacked Trust's sitting chief Professor Ram Gopal Yadav and installed Shivpal Yadav in his place. Mulayam’s brother held this position for almost a decade since 2017, despite the uncle-nephew duo Shivpal and Akhilesh felling out on numerous issues, many a times publicly, after Mulayam’s demise. The latest ‘changeover’ in the SP-led Trust has sparked fresh discussions within Uttar Pradesh's political circles. As Akhilesh gets command of Lohia Trust, in addition to Janeshwar Mishra Trust, this makes it more significant as this is seen as SP chief’s increasing clout and command over party’s affairs as well as its legacy, linked with the two Trusts – making him the undisputed and uncontested voice in his party.