UP polls: Shivpal Yadav to form new party after elections

Lucknow: Senior SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav, on Tuesday, sent shockwaves in political circles when he announced that though he was contesting as a Samajwadi Party candidate, he would form a new party after the results of Assembly election are declared on March 11.

“The Chief Minister can form his government and we will form a party,” he said.

Reacting to the development, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav told reporters that those working against party interests will not be spared.

Mr Shivpal Yadav, was speaking at a meeting in Etawah on Tuesday after filing his nomination paper for the Jaswant-nagar seat when he said that he was a victim of conspiracy by vested interests. “Mere oopar itni meherbani hui aur mujhe ticket mil gaya. (I was obliged by giving a ticket) Otherwise, I would have contested as an independent candidate. A number of Samajwadi people have been denied tickets and they should contest as independents,” he said.

Mr Shivpal Yadav said that he would remain loyal to Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav till his last breath. “Netaji (Mulayam) has built this party with his blood and sweat and he is being insulted and humiliated now. I had told the Chief Minister that he can take all the rights of ticket distribution and even deny me a ticket but he should let Netaji remain the party chief,” he disclosed.

In an obvious reference to Prof Ram Gopal Yadav, Mr Shivpal Yadav said that some vested interests had created this divide in the party.

“Ministers who did not work and ministers who indulged in land grabbing and corruption are still continuing in the government but I was sacked even though there was no charge against me. My only fault was that I had objected to corruption in the government. The SP MLAs of Etawah have been denied tickets in order to weaken me,” he alleged.

He conveyed his best wishes to all his supporters who are contesting from different parties after being denied tickets by the Chief Minister.