Mulayam Singh Yadav tried to convince Shivpal to stay on in the party. (PTI)
With Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav deciding to stick with the party he founded, it seems the decision did not go down well with his brother Shivpal Singh Yadav, who could well float a new party.“Mulayam’s move has made Shivpal believe that he has been ditched. He had already announced a secular front under Mulayam’s leadership but when he (Mulayam) declined this at the last moment, Shivpal decided to skip the press meet (on Monday),” a leader close to Shivpal was quoted as saying by Indian Express.
As per the report, the night before a scheduled press conference in Lucknow on Monday, Mulayam had sent Shivpal the text of the speech he was to give. In the letter he complained of having been “insulted” by not being invited to the state party convention last week. The statement saying a new political party was being formed, was even circulated on social media. However, during his interaction with media persons, Mulayam urged SP workers to strengthen the party led by his son Akhilesh Yadav.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also tried to convince Shivpal to stay on in the party and keep his Jaswant Nagar Assembly seat, which he would lose if he were to defect under the anti-defection law. Sources further said that Shivpal while refusing his suggestion did not accompany him to the press conference.
You may also like to watch this video
“Netaji (Mulayam) said he does not agree with Akhilesh’s decisions and also that a person who could not keep his word will never succeed. But he also said he was with the SP and urged people to support the party. This was a clear message of strengthening Akhilesh… Shivpal is left with no other option… but to choose a different path,” a close confidant of Shivpal told Indian Express.
