‘Ready to ally only if…’: Shivpal Yadav on forging alliance with Akhilesh’s Samajwadi Party

Shivpal Singh Yadav, who heads the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (PSP), has apparently softened his stand and ready to forge an alliance with Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, which is slated to be held in 2022. However, he made it clear that it will happen only if his nephew approaches him.

He also made it clear that he won't be going back to his erstwhile Samajwadi Party.

"When elections are around, then there will be talks of an alliance but we will not go back to Samajwadi Party. We will talk to those who want to ally with us. The PSP will also be there. We can ally with Samajwadi Party as well," Shivpal said.

When asked about the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 results, the Shivpal said, "It is there before everyone to see the situation of the party. Everyone has their party and they should see it."

Three members of the Yadav clan-Dimple Yadav, Dharmendra Yadav and Akshay Yadav-lost the elections and the party's tally in Lok Sabha was reduced to five.

Shivpal Yadav's statement comes after Samajwadi veteran Mulayam Singh launched fresh efforts to bring the estranged son Akhilesh and brother Shivpal together after the party suffered a rout in the Lok Sabha elections in April-May.

Earlier, Mulayam separately met Akhilesh and Shivpal, and the entire clan to settle the differences, they said. The meetings have taken place in Delhi and Saifai in Uttar Pradesh.

His initial efforts have not yielded much results as Shivpal had refused to merge his Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party with the SP which he had left in August last year.

He has blamed cousin and SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav for the split in the clan.