Samajwadi Party family feud: Ajit Singh moves a step closer to Mulayam Singh

LUCKNOW: Efforts for an alliance of Janata Parivar parties for the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls received a boost when Samajwadi Party state chief Shivpal Yadav met Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh on Friday. Both gave positive vibes after the meeting and an SPRLD alliance looked a possibility.

RLD chief Ajit Singh told ET, after the meeting: “Shivpal Yadav has already said all Chowdhry Charan Singh and Lohia followers must come together. We share a common legacy and can explore ways to work together. I met Shivpalji and we had a long discussion on many issues. It is important for all of us to come together on a common stage. What contours the grouping will take can be discussed later, but first a common stage should be prepared.” RLD’s Jayant Chowdhry also expressed the hope that all ‘secular and socialists’ would come together.

Shivpal Yadav, who was in Delhi for the last few days, had met senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, JD(U)’s Sharad Yadav and KC Tyagi and had invited RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for the Samajwadi Party’s silver jubilee celebrations on November 5. SP’s 25th foundation day is expected to be a big bang event where clear contours of a grand coalition on the lines of Maha Ghatbandhan in Bihar could emerge for UP as well.



The newly-installed SP state chief said, “If all Lohiawadi and Charan Singhwadi unite we will defeat communal forces. If we come together, we will demolish BJP’s aim to win UP.” Shivpal has been working to stitch together the coalition and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has also shown his inclination to form a coalition.