Day after Shivpal declares support, Akhilesh, Dimple meet him in Saifai

KANPUR: Ahead of the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll, Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav and his wife and party candidate Dimple Yadav on Thursday met his uncle Pragatisheel Samajwadi PartyLohia (PSP-L) chief Shivpal Yadav, who is often described as politically estranged. The meeting took place at Shivpal’s residence in the Yadavs’ ancestral village Saifai in Etawah district.

The meeting comes a day after Shivpal met his supporters at SS Memorial Inter College in Saifai and appealed to them to ensure the victory of Dimple. “Her victory will be the real tribute to netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav),” he told leaders from Mainpuri, Bhogaon, Kishni and Karhal, which are part of Mainpuri Lok

Sabha constituency, on Wednesday.

After Thursday’s meeting, Akhilesh Yadav tweeted, “Along with blessings of Netaji and elders of the family, the people of Mainpuri are with us.” He shared a picture with his uncle, wife and Shivpal’s son Aditya Yadav.

The bypoll to the seat was necessitated by the demise of Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav on October 10, and Mainpuri is considered to be the party’s stronghold. Mulayam had won the seat in the 2019 general election.

Shivpal Yadav had a bitter fallout with Akhilesh ahead of the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections over control of the Samajwadi Party. He later floated his own party.

Shivpal and Akhilesh had come together during the 2022

Uttar Pradesh assembly polls in March to take on the BJP, but after the elections, the relationship saw a dip and they again parted ways. However, they were seen taking part in rituals together after Mulayam Singh Yadav’s death last on October 10

The bypoll will be held on December 5, and the result will be announced on December 8.

After the SP had announced Dimple as its candidate from Mainpuri on November 10, Shivpal in Unnao said he was unaware of the decision though his cousin and SP national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav later cleared the air. Ram Gopal Yadav said the decision to field her was taken in due consultation with Shivpal.

The BJP has fielded Raghuraj Singh Shakya, a Shivpal confidante, who claimed to have his blessings. Shivpal and his son were not present when Dimple filed her nomination on November 14. Two days later, Shivpal, for the first time, openly asked his supporters to campaign for Dimple on Wednesday and ensure her victory.

Shivpal’s role in the election is important as his assembly constituency Jaswantnagar comes under the Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency, from where he has been elected six times.

Shivpal has a close relationship with the people of Mainpuri and used to go as Mulayam’s representative in various programmes held in the area when the SP patriarch was unavailable. On Thursday, Akhilesh and Dimple drove to Shivpal’s house that is about 500 metres away from their residence in Saifai. Aditya Yadav greeted Akhilesh and Dimple and took them inside.

Akhilesh and Shivpal spent 45 minutes together and were believed to have discussed the byelection.

Political experts said all eyes were on Shivpal as to when he would actively join the campaign with Dimple and Akhilesh.

Other family members have taken over the election management and they have started campaigning in the constituency, which is Yadav dominated.

Reacting to the meeting, BJP leader Sidharth Nath Singh took a dig at the SP chief, saying the fear of defeat made Akhilesh Yadav remember his uncle.

“Akhilesh-ji remembered his uncle because of elections – this is called fear of defeat,” Singh said in a tweet in Hindi, according to a PTI report.