As Lotus ‘Wilts’ In UP By-polls, Yadav Clan Unites And Shivpal Yadav Rejoins Samajwadi Party

Lucknow, Dec 8 (TNA) In a big political development amid the ongoing vote count for the three by-poll seats in Uttar Pradesh, Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (SP) president Shivpal Singh Yadav on Thursday rejoined the Samajwadi Party (SP) and accepted the party flag, presented to him by his one-time enstranged nephew Akhilesh Yadav.

The development took place at the SS Memorial school in Saifai, where the uncle-nephew seemed to have buried the hatchet and forgotten the bitter past that began unfolding in 2016. Shivpal Singh Yadav’s son Aditya Yadav and nephew Abhishek Yadav also took off the flags of the PSP from their vehicles and tucked in that of the Samajwadi Party.

The development might not augur well for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which has been taking advantage of the split in the Yadav clan. Things however seem to have changed since the demise of Mulayam Singh Yadav in October and the warring factions called it a day and decided to forge a united face in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha polls, which Dimple Yadav seems to be clearly winning.

BJP’s lotus seems to be wilting in the other two assembly seats also where by-polls were held. This inlcude Khatauli in western UP where SP’s alliance with RLD seems to be winning and Rampur from where SP candidate is leading.

Informed sources told TNA that the chacha-bhatija duo has decided to set aside differences and now stay united. It is also speculated that soon Shivpal will be named the leader of opposition in the UP assembly, a post hitherto held by Akhilesh.

Political analysts feel that if this happens, the going might get difficult for the BJP in the state which has so far chuckled at the division in the Yadav clan and also the principle opposition party in the state. And as it many on the state government, including legislators and ministers are unhappy with the autocratic ways of chief minister Yogi Adityanath.