Shivpal Yadav’s meeting with Yogi fuels speculation amid strain in ties with nephew Akhilesh

The Samajwadi Party’s defeat in the recently concluded Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections seems have to brought strains between SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and his estranged uncle Shivpal Yadav, the founder of Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia. What cemented the reported differences between the two was Shivpal Yadav’s meeting with UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow on Wednesday. 

While his party termed it a courtesy call, Shivpal, when asked by reporters whether he will take any major decision, said: “Very soon, I will talk about everything and tell everything.” 

Shivpal Yadav was sworn in as an MLA amid speculation that he “delayed” the oath-taking to indicate a strained relationship with Samajwadi party president Akhilesh Yadav. Three other MLAs too took oath on the occasion.

Shivpal Yadav had contested the Assembly elections from Jaswantnagar seat of Etawah on the symbol of the Samajwadi Party headed by his nephew Akhilesh Yadav. He had on Tuesday skipped a meeting here between Akhilesh Yadav and SP allies. Earlier, he did not attend the oath ceremony in the state Assembly. 

Akhilesh had invited Shivpal along with his alliance partners — Om Prakash Rajbhar, Pallavi Patel and Rajpal Balyan — for a meeting at the SP office on March 29, which Shivpal did not attend.

On Shivpal skipping Tuesday meeting, PSPL spokesperson Arvind Singh Yadav said: “Shivpal Yadav was on his way to Etawah from Delhi and couldn’t make it to today’s meeting at such short notice. He is a big leader, and he had supported the SP, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t have other options. He had considered Akhilesh Yadav as his leader but despite this, he has been disrespected repeatedly.”

The fresh speculation over their relationship started after Shivpal Yadav was not called in a meeting of SP legislators on March 24, though he had contested on the party’s symbol and even campaigned for Akhilesh Yadav in the Karhal Assembly segment. Shivpal Yadav had expressed dismay over it.