Shivpal blames Akhilesh for UP poll debacle

AGRA: Former UP minister Shivpal Yadav reminded former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav of his promise to return the post of Samajwadi Party’s national president to Mulayam Singh Yadav.

He asked his nephew (Akhilesh Yadav) to show ‘morality’ and advised him to get the family and party united by fulfilling the promise he made.

The senior SP leader was in Mainpuri on Monday to attend a marriage function.

Blaming Akhilesh for the SP’s failure in the Uttar Pradesh assembly election, he asked him to step down as the party’s national president.

“It was Akhilesh Yadav who was the state president and also the chief minister when 2014 Lok Sabha elections were held and he (Akhilesh Yadav) failed to deliver,” alleged Shivpal.

“Thereafter, the SP fought 2017 state assembly polls under the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav who was the party’s national president and also the chief minister. Even tickets were distributed by him (Akhilesh) and his advisors (read Ram Gopal Yadav),” stated the SP leader.

“There was no intervention either by Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) or by me but the Samajwadi Party yet again failed in assembly elections,” he stated.

Shivpal, however, did not answer any question raised on the speculation of his meeting with Amit Shah or joining the BJP.

“You had asked for small interaction but I have already spoken much thus no more discussion,” he told media persons.