Shivpal's bonhomie with BJP gives big headache to Akhilesh
Highlights
- Shivpal Yadav's meet with Yogi had raised many eyebrows
- His next move may now become a big headache for Akhilesh Yadav
- Shivpal Yadav was not invited to the meeting of newly elected SP MLAs on March 26 by Akhilesh Yadav
Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) chief Shivpal Singh Yadav has started following Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Twitter. Yadav also started following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official Twitter account.
The news comes amid speculation that he may quit the SP-led alliance to cross over to the BJP. The rumours gained strength after the sulking socialist leader Shivpal Yadav recently met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath amid reports of strains in the SP-led alliance.
There have been reports suggested that the distance between Shivpal Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav has been widening ever since the former was not invited to the meeting of newly elected SP MLAs on March 26.
PSPL chief Shivpal Yadav had contested the recent state polls on the bicycle symbol of the SP. He had skipped the opposition alliance’s Monday meeting called by Akhilesh Yadav and also "delayed" taking oath as a member of the new assembly, indicating that all is not well between the uncle-nephew duo. Besides Shivpal Yadav, the alliance’s other key leader Pallavi Patel of Apna Dal (Kamerwadi), who had humbled Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya from Sirathu seat, had also not attended the meeting of the SP-led coalition partners on March 28.
Shivpal Yadav took oath on Wednesday in the chamber of Speaker Satish Mahana and later went to 5, Kalidas Marg residence of the CM to meet Adityanath, fuelling speculation of his changing sides. The crossover, if materializes, would not surprise many as on many occasions, Akhilesh Yadav himself has accused his uncle of being in touch with Adityanath and soft towards the saffron party.
Talks are doing the rounds in the political circles that as part of the plan, the BJP might send Shivpal Yadav to Rajya Sabha and give his Jaswantnagar seat to his son Aditya Yadav.
Akhilesh Yadav had denied a ticket to Aditya Yadav in the February-March elections. Eleven Rajya Sabha seats would be falling vacant from UP between April and July. Shivpal Yadav himself has not been speaking much. On Wednesday he had told the media persons that he would tell everything at the right time.
After remaining at loggerheads since 2017, Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav had decided to mend fences just before the recent state assembly elections. Their estrangement had resulted in Shivpal Yadav launching his own party before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In the just-concluded assembly polls, the uncle-nephew had put up a united front appearing together at the residence of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on election eve. Shivpal himself won from his traditional Jaswantnagar seat for the sixth time.
Also Read | Shivpal's meet with CM Yogi fuel speculations of possible break up with Akhilesh Yadav
