Senior Smajwadi Party leader Naresh Uttam today said that the chances of reconciliation between the two factions of the ruling party was very low and that Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will release party’s manifesto after January 11.
Speaking to India TV, Uttam, who was appointed as the SP’s Uttar Pradesh unit president on Sunday by the CM, said that Akhilesh will be releasing election manifesto in the capacity of Samajwadi Party president.
Besides, he will also release a statement in coming two-three days appealing voters to exercise their franchise in favour of honest candidates in the upcoming polls, Uttam informed.
Sources on the other hand said that SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, who enjoys backing of his younger brother Shivpal Yadav and long time aide Amar Singh, was not ready to quit the party’s president post. He, however, has agreed to allow Akhilesh to decide the list of candidates.
But Akhilesh, who was appointed the SP president during Sunday’s National Council meet here, was in no mood to compromise.
Sources now indicate that Mulayam was mulling entering the poll fray alone, and he has even prepared a separate list of 403 candidates who will be pitted against the nominees of Akhilesh-led faction.
They said that Mualayam was also desperate on forging alliance with the Congress, and the RLD but the two parties are inclined towards Akhilesh’s side.
Mulayam may also soon meet Muslim clerics urging them to make an appeal to the community to vote for him, sources said.
Azam Khan, the Muslim face of the party, said that he was still hopeful of a solution to end the feud between father and son.
On Friday night, Khan met Mulayam at latter’s resident here but the 30-minute long talk ended with no positive outcome. Sources said that during the meet, Mulayam remained adamant on not giving up the SP’s president post.
Meanwhile, Ramgopal Yadav is expected to meet the Election Commission officials today to submit the list of affidavits claiming ‘cycle’ symbol of the Samajwadi Party.
Uttar Pradesh will go to polls in seven phases starting February 11 and ending March 8. Counting of votes has been slated for March 11 (Saturday).
