LUCKNOW In a surprise move, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has written a letter to UP Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana, seeking a front row seat for his uncle, Shivpal Singh Yadav, in the House ahead of the monsoon session beginning September 19.
The move is being seen apparently as a sign of improvement in the nephew-uncle relationship after Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) chief Shivpal Singh Yadav announced to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Mainpuri and be a part of the government that comes to power at the centre.
A section of SP leaders said it’s a step by the SP chief to establish cordial relations with his uncle who might damage prospects of the SP in the LS polls in the Etawah-Mainpuri region considered a Yadav belt of Uttar Pradesh.
On Tuesday, Shivpal met SP leader Azam Khan in Delhi. After returning to Mainpuri on Wednesday, he said SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav will recover soon and contest 2024 LS election from the Mainpuri seat. “I will campaign for ‘Netaji’ (Mulayam),” he stated.
When asked about his plan if Akhilesh Yadav contests from the Mainpuri seat, Shivpal said: “Over a year is left for the LS election, I will take a decision over contesting from Mainpuri later.”
{{/usCountry}}When asked about his plan if Akhilesh Yadav contests from the Mainpuri seat, Shivpal said: “Over a year is left for the LS election, I will take a decision over contesting from Mainpuri later.”
{{/usCountry}}Reacting to Akhilesh Yadav’s letter to the assembly speaker, Shivpal said: “I was allotted the seat with the SP MLAs in the Budget session of the House in the Monsoon session. I will take the same seat. It’s the power of the Speaker to allot seat to the members or the leaders of legislature party.”
Even as the war of words between SP and PSP-L leaders continues over the seat, UP Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana said the SP chief had requested for a seat in the front row for Shivpal Singh Yadav, terming him chief of PSP-L. “But Shivpal has contested the assembly election on SP symbol. He has been given seat along with the SP members. The front seat in the Opposition bench is allotted to the leader of the opposition as well as the leaders of legislature parties,” he said.
“If Akhilesh wants the front seat for Shivpal, he can request for allotment of the seat reserved for SP members. The front seats of the block - A, B and C are allotted to SP legislatures. Shivpal can be allotted one of the seats in the front row in the blocks reserved for the SP members,” he added.