UP polls: Mulayam faction denied tickets, leaders quit Samajwadi Party

Lucknow: An exodus has begun from the Samajwadi Party with leaders belonging to the Mulayam faction opting for greener pastures after being denied tickets.

The latest to join the bandwagon is Rakesh Varma, son of party MP Beni Prasad Varma, who has been replaced with UP minister Arvind Singh Gope on the Ramnagar seat in Barabanki.

Mr Rakesh Varma will now be joining the BJP to contest from the same seat. Mr Beni Prasad Varma termed it as a battle between Ram and Ravan and said he would take the support of Ram to defeat Ravan.

Another sitting MLA Vijay Misra resigned from the party on Monday and has threatened to expose the SP leaders. He will contest as an Independent.
Former MP Shafiqur-Rehman Warq has also quit SP and joined the All India Muslim Ittehadul Muslimeen after his grandson Ziaur Rahman Barq was denied a ticket form Sambhal.

Two days ago, former minister Ambica Chaudhary had joined the BSP and three other MLAs — Rampal Yadav, Ashish Yadav and Ramvir Singh — also quit the SP to join the Lok Dal.

“If seniors are treated shabbily by the new leadership, people will obviously move out of the party and by the time the new leaders realise their mistake, it will be too late,” said Ms Chaudhary.

National SP chief and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has also held back tickets to sacked ministers Shadab Fatima and Narad Rai and both are expected to join the BSP soon.

Two other SP MLAs — Guddu Sharma and Mukesh Sharma — have joined the RLD after being denied tickets, while SP MLA Kuldeep Sengar has already managed a ticket for himself from the BJP.

“Mr Akhilesh Yadav has left no choice for us. It is allowing personal vendetta to guide his decisions. We have been with the Samajwadi Party since its inception and now we are being targeted because we are loyal to Mr Mulayam Yadav,” said one of the disgruntled legislators.

Sources said, about 50 members from Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav’s list met the him after they were denied tickets by the Mr Akhilesh.

 Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav expressed his helplessness on the issue. He is said to be deeply upset at the fact that “seniors are being driven out of the party because they are loyal to me”.

Meanwhile, the SP will now cancel the tickets of about 42 candidates after the alliance with the Congress. State president Naresh Uttam said on Monday that a fresh list will now be issued in view of seat adjustment with the Congress.

Sources said that those whose tickets are being cancelled will either contest as rebel candidates or hitch on to another party. This exodus could prove detrimental to the party’s interests since leaders who walk out will also take their supporters and local workers with them.