After tiff with Akhilesh, Shivpal looks for new friends

New Delhi, October 28

Concerned over the debilitating power struggle in Samajwadi Party, the Mulayam Singh Yadav- Shivpal Yadav camp on Friday met meeting Rashtiya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh in an effort to forge new partnerships.

Shivpal Yadav, who heads the Uttar Pradesh unit of the party, called on Ajit Singh, whose Rashtriya Lok Dal has areas of influence in western parts of the state, to invite him to SP's silver jubilee celebrations on November 5.

The meeting came against the backdrop of talk of attempts at replicating Bihar's grand alliance experiment in UP.

Shivpal had recently pitched for coming together of 'Lohiawadi', 'Charan Singhwadi' and 'Gandhiwadi' forces to defeat the "communal" BJP in the assembly polls due early next year.

Samajwadi Party, which was initially part of Bihar's grand alliance, had walked out of it after it was offered only a handful of seats to contest the assembly elections there.

The grand alliance of Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress had, however, scripted a glorious electoral victory, defeating the BJP-led NDA. Shivpal Yadav had recently blamed his estranged cousin Ram Gopal Yadav for Samajwadi Party's decision to walk out of the alliance in Bihar.

Ram Gopal, a Rajya Sabha member, has been backing Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in his fight against Shivpal. Ram Gopal was expelled from the party amid escalating tension between the rival camps.

Given the unusual belligerence shown by Akhilesh Yadav, the party apparently wants to fortify its position by bringing in new friends.

Carrying an invitation from Mulayam, Shivpal has been meeting "socialist friends" in the national capital.      

On Wednesday, Shivpal had called up Bihar Chief Minister and JD (U) president Nitish Kumar and met senior leaders of the party Sharad Yadav and KC Tyagi.

Sources in the JD (U) and the SP said the idea behind the invite was to stitch up an alliance in Uttar Pradesh, where a resurgent BJP and Mayawati's BSP look set to pose a tough challenge to the ruling party.

"I have come to invite Ajit Singh for SP's foundation day. All secular parties do not want the BJP to enter Uttar Pradesh. It is an effort to bring together all Lohiawadis and Charanwadis. If it succeeds, we will stop the BJP (from coming to power)," Shivpal told reporters after meeting the RLD chief.

"RLD has welcomed the statement of Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav, calling for a coalition of parties against communal forces in Uttar Pradesh," RLD general secretary Trilok Tyagi said, but added "no decision has been taken yet".

Interestingly, RLD has already announced a coalition with JD (U), Sharad Pawar-led NCP and ex-BSP leader RK Chaudhary's BS4 for the Uttar Pradesh polls.

The mega alliance has decided to project Ajit Singh's son and former Mathura MP Jayant Chaudhary as its chief ministerial candidate. — PTI