Shivpal not in SP's list of star campaigners

The bitter power game within the Mulayam clan appeared to be festering with Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, in his new role as Samajwadi Party chief, leaving out his warring uncle Shivpal Yadav from the list of party’s star campaigners for the UP assembly polls.

The ruling party on Tuesday gave a list of its 40 star campaigners to the Election Commission, but it had no mention of Shivpal, who was engaged in a bitter war with his nephew.

The list, which was sent to the poll panel in Delhi by SP National General Secretary Ramgopal Yadav, contains names of party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh and 38 other leaders, keeping Shivpal out.

Incidentally, Shivpal was not present at the press conference where Akhilesh released the party’s manifesto on January 22. Even SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav was conspicuous by his absence though he turned up at the SP headquarters long after the event was over, blaming his delay on traffic chaos.

The other leaders who would champion the party’s cause include Kironmay Nanda, Azam Khan, Ramgopal Yadav, Naresh Agarwal, Jaya Bachchan and Rajendra Chowdhury, besides state presidents of SP Yuvjan Sabha, Mulayam Singh Yadav Youth Brigade and Samajwadi Party leader from Maharashtra Abu Asim Azmi.

Samajwadi Party has fielded Shivpal, Mulayam’s younger brother, from Jaswant Nagar seat in Etawah district, the home turf of the Yadav clan.

UP will go for polls in seven phases beginning February 11.

After a no-holds barred battle between the warring camps headed by the father and son before the Election Commission, 43-year-old Akhilesh won his case with the poll panel recognising his faction as Samajwadi Party and allowing it to retain ‘bicycle’ symbol.

This came as a major boost to the Chief Minister ahead of the crucial state polls.

Akhilesh went whole hog consolidating his grip over the organisation by appointing new heads of party units at various districts, who were dumped by Shivpal in his capacity as then SP state unit chief.

The Chief Minister went ahead releasing his list of candidates for the elections which clearly bore his stamp and also unveiled his party’s manifesto flanked by his loyalists on the stage.

Capping days of feverish parleys, Akhilesh played a key role in ensuring that Congress and Samajwadi Party forge an alliance to contest the UP assembly polls together, with the ruling party leaving 105 of the 403 seats for its alliance partner.

The SP leader today kick started his party's campaign by addressing an election meeting at Sultanpur.

Though Mulayam is likely to take up the party’s cause at a later stage, Akhilesh spearheaded the launch of party electioneering for the upcoming polls.