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Seat sharing: SP to make efforts to accommodate all, says Shivpal

Shivpal Singh Yadav said SP chief Akhilesh Yadav was yet to return to Lucknow after attending the INDIA meet at Bengaluru on Tuesday. He said he would discuss any modalities of seat sharing with Akhilesh Yadav.

Updated on: Jul 20, 2023, 24:26:01 IST
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Lucknow: A day after 26 opposition parties came together, forming the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), Samajwadi Party national general secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav said efforts would be made to accommodate all the alliance partners in seat sharing.

About possibilities of his contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Shivpal said he would follow the directives of the party leadership in this regard. (HT file)
About possibilities of his contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Shivpal said he would follow the directives of the party leadership in this regard. (HT file)

“Alliance means accommodating all the political partners. We will all sit together and workout seat sharing. Samajwadi Party is making all efforts to strengthen the alliance and defeat the BJP,” said Yadav while speaking to media persons in an informal chat at his residence here on Wednesday.

Besides the Indian National Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Lok Dal, the Apna Dal (Kameravadi) and the Aam Admi Party are the major political parties from the state that are part of the new alliance.

Asked about the possibilities of roping in the Bahujan Samaj Party, which is not part of the two national alliances, INDIA or NDA, he said the BSP was not following the ideology of its founder late Kanshi Ram and was considered close to the BJP.

Replying to questions, Shivpal Singh Yadav said SP chief Akhilesh Yadav was yet to return to Lucknow after attending the INDIA meet at Bengaluru on Tuesday. He said he would discuss any modalities of seat sharing with Akhilesh Yadav.

About possibilities of his contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he said he would follow the directives of the party leadership in this regard.

About Suheldeo Bharatiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar joining the NDA and SP leader Dara Singh joining the BJP, he said these leaders did not carry any weight.

Referring to Rajbhar, Yadav said the SBSP leader had made offensive comments even against those occupying constitutional positions like the Prime Minister and chief minister. “I have also remained in opposition. I have, however, never made any such comments. These people have made comments even against those who occupy constitutional positions,” he said. Replying to another question, he said Mafioso-turned politician Mukhtar Ansari was never inducted in the Samajwadi Party. Yadav said denying or giving a ticket to Mukhtar Ansari’s son Abbas Ansari, who is SBSP MLA, was the problem of the SBSP and the BJP and the SP had nothing to do with it.