In the present internecine war in Mulayam Singh Yadav’s family, the patriarch is doing an intricate balancing act. His decisions boil down to this: neither you win, nor I lose, it’s a win-win for both.

On Tuesday, Shivpal Singh Yadav looked cheerful after meeting his brother Mulayam Singh for three hours. My information is that Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had removed UP chief secretary Deepak Singhal on his father’s instructions.

He had also taken his father’s advice before dismissing two of his ministers. The confusion arose over taking away key portfolios from Shivpal Singh. When Mulayam Singh decided to make his brother Shivpal the chief of the UP unit of Samajwadi Party, Akhilesh took away seven out of ten portfolios that his uncle was handling.

On Tuesday, Mulayam Singh Yadav told his brother that one should understand, the party forms the government, the government does not form the party, so his stature would be greater than that of the Chief Minister.

That is why when Shivpal Singh Yadav came out, he claimed, he has been promoted and he was happy on being given a bigger post.

However, that does not mean that all is hunky-dory in the Samajwadi Party. There has only been a pause in the battle, the embers of fire are still there.