Ram Gopal Yadav was reinstated in the Samajwadi Party on Wednesday. “I have never said or done anything against the party. My return to the party was with Netaji’s [SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav] blessing. He was never against me,” he said.

According to a notice from the Samajwadi Party, Ram Gopal Yadav, who is a key supporter of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, will continue to be its general secretary and spokesperson and remain part of the outfit’s central parliamentary board.

On October 23, Mulayam Singh Yadav had dismissed the Rajya Sabha MP from the party for six years. The announcement came after the party president’s son and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav sacked Mulayam Singh Yadav’s brother Shivpal Yadav and four other ministers from his Cabinet.

The news of Ram Gopal Yadav’s reinstatement comes amid speculation of a Yadav family feud ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. The elections will be held in early 2017.