Shivpal to form new party after election

Former state unit president of the Samajwadi Party Shivpal Singh Yadav on Tuesday declared that he would form a new party after poll results on March 11. Emboldened by SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav’s call to the party ‘rebels’ to contest against the SP’s alliance partner Congress’ nominees, Shivpal said that Mulayam would also be part of the new party.

“You (Akhilesh) form the government...I will form a new party,” Shivpal announced while addressing his supporters after filing his nomination papers from Jaswant Nagar Assembly seat in Etawah district. “You (Akhilesh) did me a great favour by giving me the party ticket...otherwise I would have contested as an independent,” he said with sarcasm.

style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">“Netaji (Mulayam) will also be with us after March 11...he has been humiliated by those who owe their rise in politics to him,” Shivpal said, apparently referring to Akhilesh and his other uncle Ram Gopal Yadav. He said that he had told Akhilesh to let Mulayam remain the SP national chief. “I had asked him not to oust Netaji, but he did not listen to me,” he said.

Shivpal said that the alliance would only benefit the Congress. “Congress could not have won more than four seats on its own...the alliance will weaken the SP and make Congress stronger,” he added. He also said that he would campaign for the SP rebels, if they jumped into the fray against the official nominees. A large number of Shivpal and Mulayam supporters had been denied nomination by Akhilesh.