Mulayam Singh Yadav (left) with Shivpal. (Source: File)
In a setback for former Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav who claimed that his brother Mulayam Singh would contest 2019 elections under his new party symbol, the SP patriarch has not only shared the stage with his son and party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday but also appealed to workers to strengthen the party and ensure victory for its candidates in next year’s polls.
Mulayam Singh Yadav made the comments while addressing an SP rally at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
Shivpal Singh Yadav, brother of Mulayam, was embroiled in a feud with his nephew — Akhilesh — after which he announced that he will launch his own party. But even before the launch of his party Samajwadi Secular Morcha (SSM) Shivpal had announced that Mulayam will contest the next elections under the new party’s symbol.
Last week, SSM spokesperson Deepak Mishra echoed Shivpal’s statement, announcing that in the next Lok Sabha polls Mulayam Singh would be contesting from Mainpuri as a candidate of SSM. He said, “Shivpalji has announced that Netaji (Mulayam) will be the SSM’s candidate in the next Lok Sabha elections from Mainpuri. If he wished to contest from any other seat, the SSM will be with him.”
Shivpal had announced his plans of fielding candidates for all 80 Lok Sabha seats of Uttar Pradesh and listed names of the spokespersons for the party which was not even registered as a party then.