The political temperature in Uttar Pradesh rose a notch on Wednesday after sidelined Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav, the younger brother of party founder Mulayam Singh, announced the formation of a new outfit.
Mr. Shivpal, who is the uncle of party president Akhilesh Yadav and also a former Cabinet Minister, said that under his new front — the Samajwadi Secular Morcha — he would not only mobilise SP leaders “neglected” by Mr. Akhilesh but also rope in other smaller parties looking for political space, before the 2019 Lok Sabha election.
The Jaswantnagar MLA did not specify if he would be quitting the SP. “I have formed a Samajwadi Secular Morcha. That is operational. Those who were not getting work and were neglected, and roaming here and there without getting any respect, I have assembled them and given them work,” Mr. Shivpal told reporters here.
The decision to contest elections would be taken later, he added. He claimed he had the “blessings” of Mr. Singh.
His announcement comes a day after Om Prakash Rajbhar, a Minister in the Yogi Adityanath government, called on him at his residence. Mr. Rajbhar is the president of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, an ally of the BJP in U.P.
Mr. Akhilesh downplayed Mr. Shivpal’s statement. On his uncle’s claim that he would “give respect to those being neglected” in the SP, Mr. Akhilesh said: “As the national election nears, you will get to see a variety of things.” Asked if his uncle had the BJP’s support, Mr. Akhilesh said: “I don’t say that. [But] if we add up things, from yesterday and today, then a doubt arises.”