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Akhilesh Yadav says those close to BJP can’t remain in Samajwadi Party
Although Akhilesh Yadav did not name any individual, the comment comes amid speculation of growing bonhomie between his uncle Shivpal Yadav and the BJP
Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said those close to the BJP cannot remain in the SP.
Although Akhilesh Yadav did not name any individual, the comment comes amid speculation of growing bonhomie between his uncle Shivpal Yadav and the BJP.
Akhilesh Yadav also distanced himself from a meeting between Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) president Jayant Chaudhary and Samajwadi Party leader Mohd Azam Khan’s family in Rampur.
“Jo bhi BJP se milega, woh Samajwadi Party mein nahin rahega (anybody who meets the BJP will not remain in Samajwadi Party),” Akhilesh Yadav said in Agra in reply to a question.
Shivpal Yadav, who heads the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia (PSP-L), had contested the recent assembly polls on the Samajwadi Party symbol. But there have been reports of his unhappiness with the SP after the polls. He skipped the Opposition alliance’s meeting last month and took oath as an MLA on March 30.
He later went to chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s residence in Lucknow (also on March 30), fuelling speculation of his changing sides.
He also started following Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, former deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, and the government of UP on the microblogging sites Twitter and Koo.
Akhilesh Yadav was in Agra to meet the family members of a man who died when an iron light mast fell on the stage during an event on April 15.
Akhilesh Yadav also met the injured and later interacted with the media at Nagla Padma in Agra.
The SP chief stated that he was not aware of the meeting between Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Jayant Chaudhary and SP leader Mohd Azam Khan’s family.
“It is better if questions related to this meeting are put to Jayant Chaudhary. I have not sent him (Jayant Chaudhary) to meet Azam Khan and there is nothing wrong if he (Jayant Chaudhary) goes to meet the family of Azam Khan,” said Yadav.
Earlier in the day, Jayant Chaudhary made a surprise visit to Azam Khan’s residence in Rampur and met his wife and former MLA Tanzeem Fatima and son Abdullah Azam Khan, an MLA from Suar assembly seat.
RLD spokesman Anil Dubey termed the meeting as a “courtesy call”.
“Jayant Chaudhary’s visit to Rampur was pre-decided. He was there to meet the Lakhimpur violence witness who was recently attacked by some miscreants. Since he was in Rampur, he thought it fit to visit Azam khan’s place before proceeding to Bilaspur to meet the witness,” Dubey said.
