Akhilesh touches uncle Shivpal’s feet, seeks his blessings on Holi

KANPUR: After Diwali, the Samajwadi Party clan once again came together to celebrate Holi in Saifai — their ancestral village in Etawah on Friday. The occasion saw SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Yadav coming together for the first time after the Yadav clan war broke out in 2016.
SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav though had reached Saifai on Thursday, to lead the festivities like every year, but had to return to Lucknow after he reported of stomach ache on Friday.

Akhilesh's other uncle Ram Gopal Yadav, however, was not present during the festivities.

Akhilesh Yadav, who had arrived with his wife Dimple and children daughter Tina and son Arjun, in Saifai on Thursday, spent time with his uncle and Jaswantnagar MLA Shivpal Yadav, besides other relatives, villagers and party workers and supporters at his residence on Friday morning.

Amid the festivities, Akhilesh touched the feet of Shivpal Yadav and sought his blessings after exchanging Holi greetings with him. A large number of SP workers who were present there cheered and raised slogans "Akhilesh Yadav, Shivpal Yadav zindabad..." . Akhilesh greeted the gathering and appealed to them to celebrate the festival in the spirit of love and brotherhood. Many youngsters also posed for a selfie with Akhilesh Yadav.

SP Patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav is known to play Holi with family and village folks in Saifai every year. As a tradition, he celebrates Holi at his native residence in the middle of the lawn. Party workers, supporters, relatives and friends shower flower petals and putting 'gulal' on him to seek his blessings.

"Though he had arrived in Saifai on Thursday, but he could not join the revelry on Friday as he has to returned Lucknow after he complained of stomach ache,"
said a source close to the Yadav family.

The younger generation of the Yadav clan including Badaun MP Dharmendra Yadav, Mainpuri MP Tej Pratap, Etawah Nagar Panchayat Chairman Anshul and Shivpal's son Aditya Yadav, were spotted at the celebrations along with other family members.

Party sources said that Shivpal had arrived at Akhilesh's residence along with his son Aditya Yadav on Friday morning and spent time together sitting and chatting with villagers and other relatives.

Last year, Shivpal had given Saifai Holi a miss and celebrtaed it with his supporters at his Etawah residence.