Akhilesh says his party will tie up with anyone who has faith in Samajwadi ideology

Samajwadi Party chief says the benefits of reservation should be provided in proportion to the population of communities

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday said his party would tie up with any political outfit believing in the “Samajwadi” ideology.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has in the recent past indicated his preference for alliances with smaller parties. (File Photo)

“Any party believing in the ideology is welcome in the Samajwadi Party,” he said at his ancestral village Saifai in Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh. The Uttar Pradesh assembly election is due early next year.

Yadav arrived in Saifai after attending an event of the Mahan Dal, an SP ally. The Mahan Dal leaders have pledged that they would teach a lesson to those who betrayed their community, he said.

On the inclusion of eight castes in the other backward classes, he said the SP’s demand was to provide the benefits of reservation in proportion to the population of communities.

He also alleged the BJP government had dubbed the farmers criminals, terrorists and framed them in fake cases.

Speaking on the move to rename places, he said chief minister Yogi Adityanath had not done anything but change names.

SP chief hits out at BJP govt over arrest of ex-IPS officer

Akhilesh Yadav on Friday attacked the BJP government over the arrest of former IPS office Amitabh Thakur by the UP police.

In 2015, when Amitabh Thakur was in service, he had filed an FIR against SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, claiming that Mulayam had threatened him. Akhilesh Yadav was the chief minister then.