Shatrughan Sinha backs Akhilesh Yadav

New Delhi: Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha on Monday came out in support of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who is in the eye of the storm in the ongoing power tussle within the Samajwadi Party.

"My heart goes out to Akhilesh for the situation he is trapped in. Hope wish and pray that he comes out clean from this political quagmire," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentarian tweeted.

Meanwhile, supporters of Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle and SP leader Shivpal Yadav clashed outside the party office in Lucknow on Monday, ahead of a crucial meet called by SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Both Akhilesh and Shivpal Yadav addressed the crowd, making emotional speeches about their contribution to the party and allegiance to Mulayam.

Earlier on Sunday, in a dramatic tit-for-tat event in ruling SP, Akhilesh Yadav had ousted his uncle Shivpal Yadav and three others from the government, while the party brass retaliated by sacking SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav for six years..