In a complete U-turn of sorts, senior Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav has now said that he never announced any plan to float a new political party on March 11, the day results of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls are to be declared.
“Koi nayi party nahi (We are not forming any new party)," Shivpal told reporters on Monday.
The remark comes in the backdrop of indications that SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and brother Shivpal were considering floating a new political outfit after the completion of the Assembly polls in the state.
On January 31, Shivpal, who was snubbed and pushed to a corner by his nephew and CM Akhilesh Yadav, had announced that he will float a new political party on March 11.
“I am thankful that I was given a ticket, otherwise I would have entered the fray as an independent candidate. I was all prepared for it. People wanted me to contest. We will float a new political party on March 11,” Shivpal had told a rally in his home constituency Jaswantnagar.
Jaswantnagar constituency will go to polls in phase 3 on February 19.
Notably, SP founder and former party president Mulayam too had brushed aside questions on Shivpal launching a new party. “Gusse mein keh diya hoga (He must have said so in anger,” Mulayam told reporters, dismissing the possible development.
“(He will launch) No new party. Why will he form new party?” Mulayam had added earlier.
The first phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls passed off peacefully on February 11 with over 64 per cent polling recorded. The remaining six phase polling will be held on February 15, 19, 23, 27 and on March 4 and 8.
