Etawah (Uttar Pradesh): Ahead of the third phase of the election in Uttar Pradesh – it’s on February 20 – the high decibel campaigning intensified further. And an interesting picture emerged from Etawah on Thursday (February 17) – Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, his father Mulayam Singh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav were seen together on the campaign trail for the first time after more than five years.
In October 2016, while flagging off the “Samajwadi Vikas Rath”, the trio were seen together in public the last time. On Thursday, the trio once again campaigned together. Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav sought votes for his son Akhilesh Yadav, promising that his party will fulfill the aspirations of the people. Yadav said the people want that the problems of poverty and unemployment are resolved, and his party’s policies are very clear on these issues.
He appealed to the people to ensure the victory of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. The polling for the third phase will be held on February 20 in Karhal where the BJP has pitted Union minister SP Singh Baghel against Akhilesh Yadav. Incidentally, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also campaigned with Baghel almost simultaneously in this constituency on Thursday at a poll rally about three kilometres away. Addressing a rally in the SP stronghold, Shah also took potshots at the party for bringing veteran leader Mulayam Singh Yadav for campaigning.
“The eyes of other countries of the world, including the United States, are on the Samajwadi Party in these elections and now the people of India will decide. But one thing is clear that your hopes will be fulfilled by the Samajwadi Party,” Mulayam Singh said. Akhilesh touched his father’s feet on stage and sought his blessings. Recalling the long association of his family with the area, the SP chief said “Netaji (Mulayam) did his studies, taught in a school and also started politics from here.”
Shivpal Yadav was also seen campaigning with his brother and nephew. In 2016, Akhilesh had shown the Samajwadi Party’s exit door to uncle Shivpal due to a family dispute. Shivpal later formed his own party Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohiya). However, the PSP had failed to win a single seat in the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Shivpal Singh Yadav’s party is now part of the alliance led by Akhilesh Yadav.The rift between Akhilesh and Shivpal had officially ended last year as they decided to join hands to oust the BJP government in the state. However, since then both leaders were never seen together sharing a stage. In Etawah, once considered a bastion of the SP, both Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal not only shared a stage but have also acknowledged each other. Akhilesh said, “Uncle’s (Shivpal Singh Yadav) return will strengthen our power in upcoming Assembly elections and will help us defeat the BJP in UP polls.”
On Thursday, Samajwadi Party’s “Samajwadi Vijay Rath” was started from Lion Safari, Etawah. During the movement of ‘rat’, Shivpal and Mulayam Singh Yadav campaigned for Samajwadi Party and its alliance. Mulayam also held a rally in the Karhal constituency in the Mainpuri district where Akhilesh Yadav is contesting his maiden Assembly election.
As polling for the two phases has ended on February 10 and 14, voting for the remaining five phases will take place on February 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. In the 2017 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party bagged 312 seats out of the 403-seat Uttar Pradesh Assembly while Samajwadi Party (SP) bagged 47 seats, Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) won 19 and Congress could manage to win only seven seats. The rest of the seats were bagged by other candidates.
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