Lucknow, Oct. 22: Samajwadi Party state president Shivpal Singh Yadav today suspended a lawmaker for asking party national president Mulayam Singh Yadav to step down in favour of son and chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.

The six-year axe on MLC Udai Veer Singh comes at a time Shivpal, locked in a power struggle with nephew Akhilesh while apparently enjoying elder brother Mulayam's support, has been suspending the chief minister's loyalists one after the other.

Shivpal had over the past two days made placatory noises, telling two party meetings he would propose Akhilesh for chief minister again if the party won the upcoming polls.

But hours after Akhilesh was quoted as telling his loyalists this morning that he had spoken to Mulayam to revoke their suspensions, Shivpal replaced them with new office-bearers.

Udai Veer has been punished on "disciplinary" grounds for "going against Netaji (Mulayam)".

"I was not given a chance to defend myself. I'm a disciplined soldier of the party and would never speak against the chief minister's father," he told reporters.

Udai Veer had asked Mulayam in a letter on Thursday to become a "patron" of the party and let Akhilesh take charge "so that he can take quick decisions".

His allegation that "some ambitious insiders" were conspiring against Akhilesh is being seen as an allusion to Shivpal, who's also a minister in Akhilesh's cabinet.

Shivpal had suspended eight Akhilesh loyalists, including four MLCs, on September 19. He has also suspended several leaders of the party's youth wings.