Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav on Tuesday said he would form a new party after the Uttar Pradesh election results, ANI reported. He made the announcement in Etawah a little while after he had filed his nomination papers as the SP’s candidate from Jaswantnagar.
“March 11 ko nateeje aayenge, uske baag hum party banayenge [We will form a party after the election results on March 11],” Shivpal Yadav said. He also reaffirmed his loyalty to former party chief Mulayam Singh, reinforcing speculation of the widening rift in the party.
Shivpal Yadav said several “strong candidates” recommended by Mulayam Singh and him were rejected by the party national party president Akhilesh Yadav. Shivpal Yadav said he had unsuccessfully tried to convince the chief minister to retain Mulayam Singh as the party president. He said he would campaign for candidates who were rejected by Akhilesh Yadav and forced to contest as rebels and independents.
Shivpal Yadav accused Akhilesh Yadav’s administration of misgovernance. His statements follow Mulayam Singh’s refusal to campaign for the party to show his opposition to the alliance it shares with the Congress. Mulayam Singh had said the Samajwadi Party did not need the help from the Congress to win the elections. On January 17, Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad had announced that his party would fight the Uttar Pradesh elections in alliance with the Samajwadi Party under the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav.
The Samajwadi party has experienced months of infighting with the emergence of two factions led by founder Mulayam Singh and Akhilesh Yadav respectively. The chief minister’s faction won the dispute over Samajwadi Party’s name and symbol on January 16.
Uttar Pradesh polls will be held in seven phases from February 11. The votes will be counted on March 11.
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