I've been seeking this alliance with SP for last 2 years: PSP chief Shivpal Singh Yadav

New Delhi: Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (PSP) chief Shivpal Singh Yadav said that the alliance of his party with the Samajwadi Party if happens will be great. He made this statement in the wake of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's recent announcement that his party will form an alliance with his uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav`s party and will give him "full respect".

Speaking to the media in Kanpur on Sunday, Shivpal Singh said, "I have been seeking this (alliance with Samajwadi Party) for the last two years. It will be great if it happens."

Taking potshots at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party chief said that people are disappointed with the party, adding "BJP made false promises at the time of elections, so there is a necessity of a change of power in the state." 

Shivpal Singh Yadav had formed Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (PSP) after leaving the Samajwadi Party. He left the SP after Akhilesh Yadav took over the reins of the party from his father Mulayam Singh Yadav. 

Earlier on November 3, Akhilesh Yadav had announced that his party will form an alliance with his uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav`s party and will give him "full respect".

Akhilesh Yadav had said, "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 Singh Yadav as well. Samajwadi Party will give him full respect."

Notably, the Samajwadi Party (SP) is the 'Janadesh Maharally' across the state, and in one such rally in Ambedkarnagar district on Sunday, he formally inducted senior BSP leaders Lalji Verma and Ramachal Rajbhar in the party fold.

Verma was the leader of the BSP legislature party in the state assembly and Rajbhar State chief of BSP before they were expelled by the BSP for "anti-party" activities. In the 2017 UP Assembly elections, Verma had won from Katehari seat, while Rajbhar had won from the Akbarpur Assembly constituency.

Addressing the 'Janadesh Maharally', Akhilesh Yadav stressed the coming Assembly elections in the state were crucial for democracy and invoked Dr BR Ambedkar to say the country needs to be run according to the constitution as drafted by the founding fathers.

He said, "This is also an election to save democracy and the Constitution," adding that the country got a bad reputation around the world because of the BJP's "poor handling of COVID-19 pandemic".

BSP Supremo Mayawati, however, said that taking BSP "turncoats" into its fold will not help the Samajwadi Party (SP) increase its mass base and will only weaken it.

Her statement came barely hours after SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav inducted Lalji Verma and Ramachal Rajbhar in his party at his 'Janadesh Maharally' in Ambedkarnagar district.

(With Agency Inputs)

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