Shivpal Yadav bats for an alliance or merger with SP; tells Akhilesh to 'decide soon'

Setting aside all past discords, Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) chief Shivpal Yadav on Tuesday expressed his desire to forge an alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP) urging nephew Akhilesh Yadav to take a decision soon. Shivpal Yadav stated that whether the SP goes for an alliance or a merger, the will of his party workers should be respected and seats should be distributed in a 'respectable manner'.

"Whatever decision Akhilesh has to take, he should take it soon. Whether it is related to the alliance or the merger of the party, it should be done promptly. We have been trying for the last two years. Whatever needs to be done, Akhilesh should do it quickly. Whether it is an alliance or a merger, our people should be respected. Those who are behind us should get seats in a respectable manner," he said. 

Talks of a merger between estranged Shivpal Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav have been on for the last two years. Highlighting his inclination towards reconciliation ahead of the 2022 UP Polls, Akhilesh Yadav, on Sunday, announced that his party will form an alliance with PSP and will give Uncle Yadav 'full respect'. "It has been the endeavour of the Samajwadi Party to stitch an alliance with smaller parties. Naturally, we are going to forge an alliance with the party of Uncle Shivpal Yadav as well. Samajwadi Party will give him full respect," said Akhilesh Yadav.

The Yadav family feud

Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav was caught between a massive inner-party revolt after his son Akhilesh Yadav and his brother Shivpal Yadav clashed over who will take over the party's reins in 2016. The family feud spiralled out of control with Mulayam Singh siding with his brother Shivpal, throwing out then-Chief Minister of UP Akhilesh Yadav and his cousin Ram Gopal Yadav from the party for six years. SP was divided in two ahead of the crucial UP Elections 2017 as both Mulayam and Akhilesh released a separate list of 235 candidates for the polls. Ultimately, Akhilesh was reinstated. The leader promptly threw out his uncle and replaced his father as the party chief. In the polls, BJP witnessed a landslide victory by winning over 300 seats and confining the SP to just 47 seats in the 403-member State Assembly paving way for Yogi Adityanath's maiden term. A miffed Shivpal floated his own party -Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party which was recognized officially in October 2018.