Ferozabad might be new battleground for Yadavs

Lucknow: Ferozabad could well be the battleground for the Yadav clan in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

According to sources, Mr Shivpal Yadav, president of the newly formed Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (PSP), is planning to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Ferozabad where he will challenge his own nephew and sitting SP MP Akshay Yadav, who is the son of Prof Ram Gopal Yadav.

Mr Shivpal Yadav believes that it was Prof Ram Gopal Yadav who fuelled the family war two year ago and “manipulated” Mr Akhilesh Yadav against him.

Ferozabad has been a Samajwadi bastion since 1999 except in a 2009 by-elections when Raj Babbar of Congress defeated Ms Dimple Yadav. The constituency has over 16 lakh voters of which 3.75 lakh are Yadavs and 2.25 lakh are Muslims which form the vote base of the Samajwadi Party.

Mr Shivpal Yadav, in October, had held a road show in Ferozabad and drew a massive response from the people. The local SP MLA Hari Om Yadav also joined Mr Shivpal Yadav’s road show.

“Almost the entire organisation of the Samajwadi Party has been built up by Mr Shivpal Yadav. After Ms Dimple Yadav lost the by-election in 2009, Mr Akhilesh Yadav virtually abandoned the local party office bearers, holding them responsible for the party’s defeat. These leaders are now inching closer to Mr Shivpal Yadav,” said one such office bearer.

Mr Shivpal Yadav has already made it clear that his PSP will contest against all family members of the Yadav clan, barring Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Mr Akshay Yadav, the sitting MP, will find it difficult to change his seat since that would send out wrong signals.

Meanwhile, Mr Aditya Yadav, son of Mr Shivpal Yadav, is said to be preparing to challenge Mr Akhilesh Yadav from Kannauj.

“I will contest from wherever my party asks me to. As for Kannauj, I am ready to contest elections opposite Akhilesh Yadav or Dimple Yadav and ensure their defeat. The Samajwadi Party has strayed from its ideology,” he said.

Mr Aditya Yadav, who will be making his political debut in the Lok Sabha elections, has, so far, maintained a studied silence during the family battle.

Though he remained by his father’s side throughout the family strife, he did not issue any statement against any family member. This is the first time that he has come out openly against Mr Akhilesh Yadav, who is his cousin.