Mulayam Singh Yadav says he had no idea about Shivpal's Samajwadi Secular Morcha plans

Samajwadi Party (SP) patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav said on Saturday his brother Shivpal Yadav didn’t consult with him about his plans to float an all-India secular front. According to a report published in Hindustan Times, Mulayam said that no one in the family and party wanted a split in the SP adding that he would try to persuade his younger brother. 

“I have not met Shivpal for the last one week... He has not spoken to me as yet about it (the front)… I will talk to him,” a visibly relaxed Mulayam told HT in Lucknow.

Shivpal Yadav had on Friday told a news agency that he is going to form a new party 'Samajwadi Secular Morcha' that all but confirmed the rift within the party and UP's most influential Yadav family.

Read | Akhilesh should step down, make Mulayam as party chief, says Shivpal Singh Yadav

"We will soon announce the launch of this 'morcha'. The aim of this party is to restore the honour of 'Netaji' (Mulayam) and bring back all Samajwadis under one umbrella," he added. 

According to reports, Shivpal will soon be meeting state and national-level leaders in this regard. 

The two factions of Samajwadi Party went in different directions right before the crucial Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Mulayam Singh Yadav, who is also the founder of SP, had refused to campaign for the party during the assembly elections.