Shivpal Yadav keen to merge his outfit PSPL with SP, asks Akhilesh to decide by October 11

By PTI

ETAWAH: Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav’s younger brother Shivpal Yadav on Tuesday expressed a keen desire to forge an alliance between his political outfit Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia and its parent party SP or even merge them.

PSLP president Shivpal Yadav expressed the desire, setting October 11 as the deadline for SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to take a decision on the issue, failing which, he said, he would start preparations for fielding his candidates on all 403 seats of the UP assembly.

He said his party intends to contest 403 seats of the Uttar Pradesh assembly next year but it would be in the interest of both the party and the people if the two parties fight the elections together.

“We have a socialist ideology. I have work shoulder to shoulder with ‘Netaji’ (Mulayam Singh Yadav) to establish the Samajwadi Party. I want the party (SP) to become stronger and for that, there should be an alliance of the SP with PSPL,” said Shivpal Yadav.

“We have made all efforts for an alliance or even merger with the SP. Now it is Akhilesh Yadav’s turn,” Shivpal said while talking to reporters here.

“We are giving him (Akhilesh) time till October 11,” he added.

“We are waiting. It’s for the UP SP president to take a decision. Our PSPL organisation is strong in the entire state. We will contest all 403 seats (if no alliance materialise with the SP) with full strength and will form the government after winning elections,” he said.

Shivpal Yadav said the PSPL will be starting its “Samajik Parivartan Yatra” from Mathura-Vrindavan from October 12 and its entire program has been chalked out.

Elaborating upon possible benefits of the unity between the two parties, Shivpal Yadav said they fought “unitedly” in Etawah and their candidate won the district panchayat chairman post unopposed.

He claimed that PSPL will win three seats in Etawah and as many seats in Auraiya districts.

He said due to the Covid pandemic, the opposition parties could not do agitate against the failures of the BJP.

Asked about AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Shivpal said he does not want to comment on him as he is a “big leader” of the country.

After differences with nephew Akhilesh Yadav, Shivpal Yadav had founded the PSPL.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had recently evaded a direct reply on the possibility of an alliance with his uncle’s party.

“The SP will go with smaller parties in 2022 polls. We will take them along and give due respect to them,” Akhilesh Yadav had given a cryptic reply.

Even after the formation of the new party, Shivpal Yadav is still an SP MLA.

On various occasions earlier, Akhilesh Yadav had said the SP will not field any candidate on his uncle’s Jaswant Nagar seat in Etawah.