Shivpal Yadav says 'open for coalition' with nephew Akhilesh Yadav

In a major political twist, Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav's estranged uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav - Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) chief, on Thursday has said that he is open for a coalition with him, according to ANI. He further stated he would not rejoin the  Samajwadi Party. Shivpal, who is former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's younger brother, left the party and announced the formation of his own party prior to UP state polls in 2017. His party - Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party was recognised officially in October 2018.

Shivpal Singh open for coalition with Akhilesh Yadav

READ | UP CM Yogi Adityanath meets Mulayam Singh Yadav after the latter was admitted to hospital over high blood pressure on Sunday

Mulayam Singh's rift mending efforts

Previously in June, after the drubbing of the Samajwadi Party, the party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav had launched fresh efforts to end acrimony between his son Akhilesh Yadav - and brother Shivpal Singh Yadav - who heads Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party. The Samajwadi veteran had separately met Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Singh Yadav, and the entire clan to settle the differences, according to PTI. The meetings had taken place in Delhi and Saifai in Uttar Pradesh. His efforts had not yielded big results as Shivpal Singh Yadav has refused to merge his Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party with the SP.

WATCH: 'Arre Bhai, Bahut Mehenga De Rahe Ho,' Says Akhilesh Yadav Haggling Over The Price Of A Corn Cob With The Vendor

SP's performance in Lok  Sabha polls

The whole effort by the SP founder was to make up for the terrible performance of the party in the Lok Sabha election. SP had fought in coalition with BSP and managed to win only 5 seats and its ally BSP 10 seats against the BJP's 62 seats. There have been reports that Shivpal Singh Yadav's party was blamed by SP and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for splitting Yadav votes. Also, the Gathbandhan equation had failed after Mayawati pulled out of the coalition and announce her decision to contest for state Assembly bypolls on her own.

WATCH |Gathbandhan Breaks: Mayawati Calls Off Alliance With SP And Blames Akhilesh For Poll Drubbing, Announces That BSP Will Contest Upcoming U.P Bypolls Solo

Uttar Pradesh bypolls

Bypolls are set to be held in 11 Assembly seats in the state on October 21, 2019. The counting for the byelection is slated for October 24, 2019. The 11 seats up for byelections include Pratapgarh, Lucknow Cantt, Rampur, Gangoh, Govindpur, Jalalpur, Zaidpur, Iglas, Manikpur, Ghosi, and Balham. BSP is set to contest on all seats independently after Mayawati broke the Gathbandhan in May. Meanwhile, BJP and Samajwadi Party have asked their respective alliance partners to field the candidates in some constituencies. Congress, on the other hand, is eyeing a comeback, cashing in on the SP-BJP major tussle ahead of state assembly polls in 2022. 

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