Lucknow: Amid boycott by aggrieved National General Secretary Mohammad Azam Khan, the important meeting of the Samajwadi Party National Executive started in Lucknow on Saturday to discuss several political issues.
Khan, who was excepted to join the meeting after his talks with Mulayam Singh Yadav at New Delhi on Thursday last, has so far shown no interest in attending the National Executive meeting.
However it was expected that the leadership could pacify Khan, a close associate of the party president for more than two decades by announcing his candidature from Rampur.
Sitting MP and Bollywood star Jaya Prada could be shifted to any other seat, possibly in Uttarakhand, party sources said.
According to sources the meeting would discuss several issues including the Azam Khan tussle, the Muslim impact on Kalyan Singh's attachment with the party and would seek opinion from the members on the strategy of the party during the Lok Sabha polls.
"Party leaders including Mulayam Singh Yadav and General Secretary Amar Singh would elaborate upon their views over the failure of the pre-poll alliance with the Congress and the agenda for the party's poll manifesto," the sources said.
Earlier, feelers had been sent to Khan by the SP leadership for attending this meeting which was called to give the final approval on the party's strategy for the coming Lok Sabha election.
Khan, who had been very vocal against the party to leadership over the Kalyan factor and other local issues of Rampur related Jaya Prada, had also indicated his softness towards Yadav after he met the SP chief in New Delhi.
The party chief had said he would meet Khan wherever he wanted Khan in a statement at Rampur had reciprocated the gesture of Yadav, saying there was no need of him to come to his place. "I will go to meet Yadav may be during the National Executive on March 21 and will invite him on my son's marriage," he had said.
Khan has raised the banner of revolt in the party, particularly against SP General Secretary Amar Singh over Kalyan Singh and other issues besides holding series of meetings and marches at Rampur against Jaya Prada.
The highest decision making body of the SP, the National Executive comprises 43 permanent and 11 special invitees with Yadav as its head.
All the party national general secretaries Amar Singh, Mohammad Azam Khan, Ram Gopal Yadav would attend the meeting along with National Vice-President Janeshwar Mishra.
Party MPs Jaya Bachchan and Jaya Prada would also be present in the meeting besides several other senior leaders.
Meanwhile, a report from Rampur on Saturday said Mohammad Azam Khan has refused the SP leadership invitation to attend the National Executive meeting as a protest over joining hands of the party with Kalyan Singh.
"I won't go to Lucknow and even meet the party leaders till they clarify their stand on Kalyan Singh", he said.
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