Samajwadi Party feud: Shivpal Yadav rebuffs Mulayam, says no rapprochement with Akhilesh possible now

Sep 3 (AZINS) Shivpal Singh Yadav, who recently launched the Samajwadi Secular Morcha, on Monday rejected peace attempt by Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and declared that no rapprochement with party chief Akhilesh Yadav was possible now.

“I waited for long and made personal efforts to ensure that we all remain united in the Samajwadi Party. But me, netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) and several other senior leaders were sidelined in our own party. Now I have taken a step forward and there is no question of going back or any compromise or rapprochement with Akhilesh after forming the Samajwadi Secular Morcha,” he told media.

Shivpal announced the formation of his Samajwadi Secular Morcha last Wednesday, practically ending his association with the Samajwadi Party. While Shivpal Yadav claimed that ‘netaji’ had endorsed his decision to form the new front, Mulayam said two days later that the party was united.

“We are all united and would remain in Samajwadi Party,” Mulayam had said while reacting to Shivpal’s decision to float Morcha.

Mulayam’s statement had given rise to speculation in media that he would make another effort to reach an agreement between Shivpal and Akhilesh Yadav to remain united on as the 2019 Lok Sabha polls draw closer.

However, with today's statement, Shivpal seems to have rejected any peace efforts within the Yadav clan and the Samajwadi Party.

“No one can question my hard work and loyalty. I have struggled for 30 years with netaji to take the party to this height. But we both were sidelined along with lots of other leaders and several lakh workers,” he stated.

“The Samajwadi Party has deviated from its principles. It was known to fight for the poor people. The party leadership is not taking to streets on public issues. It is no more a party who used to fight for poor, farmers, Dalits and backwards. It was due to these reasons I had to form the Morcha to take up their issues,” the former UP cabinet minister said.

When his attention was drawn towards Akhilesh Yadav not taking him seriously, Shivpal reacted that “he was politically mature not to react but time will give a befitting reply.”

“I have blessings of netaji on the formation of Morcha. We will contest all 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh," he reiterated.

He denied having met any BJP leaders. “Such offers keep coming to leaders having a mass following like me. I am with secular forces and will never shake hands with communal forces,” he said.