Fissures in Samajwadi Party deepen, Aparna backs Shivpal

Lucknow: The fissures in the Samajwadi Party deepened further on Saturday when Aparna Yadav, younger daughter-in-law of Mulayam Singh Yadav, shared the stage with Shivpal Yadav and urged the people to strengthen his newly-formed Samajwadi Secular Morcha.

Aparna Yadav, till now, had maintained a safe distance from the Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav camp but she made her choice clear at a function in Lucknow on Saturday. Aparna Yadav had unsuccessfully contested the Lucknow Cantt seat in the 2017 Assembly elections as SP candidate.

“I am sure that the Samajwadi Secular Morcha will march ahead and I appeal to all to strengthen the Morcha,” she said while addressing a function which was organised by Rashtriya Krantikari Samajwadi Party, another off-shoot of the Samajwadi Party.

She further said, “After Netaji (Mulayam), I respect Shivpal ji the most and I sincerely want that he moves to greater heights with the Morcha.”

Aparna Yadav’s statement on Saturday has now created intense speculations in political circles and indicates that the infighting in the Yadav clan is far from over.

Two days ago, Aditya Yadav, son of Shivpal Yadav, had declared that the Morcha would field a ‘strong candidate’ against Akhilesh Yadav in Kannauj and make sincere efforts to win.