SP chief Akhilesh, uncle Shivpal share stage during Holi celebration in Etawah

 Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Yadav shared a stage during the Holi celebrations in Etawah amid chants of "chacha-bhatija zindabad" after parting ways around two years ago. However, Akhilesh signalled the supporters to stop the sloganeering during the programme attended by party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, Ram Gopal Yadav, Dharmendra Yadav and Tejpratap Singh Yadav on Tuesday.

Shivpal had ended his 26-year-old association with the Samajwadi Party after falling out with Akhilesh and cousin Ram Gopal Yadav in 2018. He had formed his own outfit the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia). On Tuesday, he was seen touching Ram Gopal Yadav's feet.

On March 7 in Firozabad, Shivpal Singh Yadav had hinted at an "understanding" between his outfit and the Akhilesh-led party for the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls. During the visit to meet former SP legislator Azim Bhai, Shivpal Yadav had said there was no dispute within the family.

"There can be an understanding with the Samajwadi Party about seats for the 2022 state polls. The election symbol will, however, be ours," he had told reporters. Speaking on this occasion, Akhilesh Yadav said BJP leaders had changed their (Holi) programmes due to coronavirus but SP workers did not fear any virus and the crowd present there indicated this. The Samajwadi Party tweeted a number of photographs of the event.