NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav continues his balancing act between his son and younger brother Shivpal Yadav leaves his party workers to wonder where his sympathies lie.
The sidelined Samajwadi Party leader and the estranged uncle of Akhilesh Yadav, Shivpal recently formed his new party, the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) after expressing his disappointment with the SP leadership.
On Tuesday, the Senior Yadav first turned up at the Shivpal’s political HQ at the 6, Lal Bahadur Shastri Road office where he exchanged pleasantries with him. The younger Yadav invited Mulayam to attend his party’s conference with a grand welcome. He even presented Netaji (Mulayam) with a flag of the Morcha and also offered him part president’s post.
“I have offered the party president’s post to ‘Netaji’ (Mulayam Singh Yadav) and a ticket to contest the LS election from the Mainpuri seat. Our party will carry forward the Lohia ideologies,” said Shivpal Yadav.
आज हम सब के श्रद्धेय आदरणीय 'नेताजी' प्रगतिशील समाजवादी पार्टी (लोहिया) के सैकड़ों कार्यकर्ताओं के बीच पहुंचे और उपस्थित कार्यकर्ताओं को अपना आशीर्वाद दिया । pic.twitter.com/RQByoXYhyo
— Shivpal Singh Yadav (@shivpalsinghyad) October 30, 2018
Later, Mulayam Singh balanced it with a visit to the SP office where he addressed party workers and leader and asked them to strengthen the party. “We have been left wondering with whom Netaji’s (Mulayam) sympathies lie and which party to work for,” said a veteran party worker, requesting anonymity, reported DNA.
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Like Mayawati and Akhilesh, who have joined forces in their common hatred for Modi, the Shivpal and Amar Singh are anchored their common dislike for Akhilesh Yadav. The 63-year-old Shivpal, insiders say, has vowed to “teach Tipu (Akhilesh’s pet name) a lesson of his lifetime”. Shivpal Singh Yadav, thanks to his many stints as a powerful minister in Uttar Pradesh, has a popular base in many central districts.
Both Shivpal and Amar Singh are insiders who know too much and have the potential of causing colossal damage to the SP, chuckled a senior minister in the state government, who added that their covert joining hands with the BJP will certainly damage the SP if not benefit his party.