Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh today claimed that the political turmoil in the party was a 'programmed drama'.

He also said that SP patron Mulayam Singh and his son and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh 'are one and will remain one'.

"It was a programmed drama in which all of us were given a role. I subsequently realised that we are being used... I came to realise it was a ploy to distract from the anti-incumbency, law and order situation," he said.

"Mulayam loves being defeated at the hands of his son. Cycle (Partys election symbol), son, and the SP are his weaknesses. Even at polling day, the entire family went together. So why all the drama?" Amar told CNN-News 18.

The Samajwadi Party went through a bitter power struggle between Mulayam and Akhilesh, with the latter taking the fight to the Election Commission and, ultimately, winning the battle and the party symbol.

Amar has been blamed by a section of the party leadership for creating fissures between Mulayam and Akhilesh.

Recently, he was relegated to the back benches of the Rajya Sabha by his party. -- PTI