The Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Whip in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Kamal Akhtar resigned from the post on Tuesday (June 30, 2026). He was directed by the party president, Akhilesh Yadav to tender his resignation. Mr. Akhtar is an SP MLA from Kanth Assembly constituency in Moradabad district.
He was made SP’s Chief Whip in the State Assembly after party MLA Manoj Pandey resigned from the post in 2024 after voting for the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls. After submitting his resignation, the MLA said he always followed the directions of the party president, Akhilesh Yadav and was not upset with the decision. “I have always followed whatever directions from the national president, Shri Akhilesh Yadav ji. Whatever direction he will give will be followed, I am a disciplined and true worker of the Samajwadi Party,” said Mr. Akhtar.
The resignation is seen as an attempt by the SP to make changes in the structure of the party, and buzz is growing that an MLA from Other Backward Classes (OBCs) or Scheduled Caste (SC) community will be appointed as the new Chief Whip.
“Our party takes decisions as per necessity, people are given responsibility as per political dynamics. Kamal Saheb, is a senior MLA and dedicated leader of the party. He will continue to serve the party in various ways and together we will make sure a SP government comes to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2027. A new Chief Whip will be appointed who will be from within the PDA communities,” said Sunil Singh Yadav ‘Sajan’, the SP spokesperson.
Published – June 30, 2026 11:36 pm IST