Samajwadi Party silver jubilee event: No peace in Yadav clan; Shivpal takes dig at Akhilesh, shoves CM's aide on stage

Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party tried to put up a united face at its silver jubilee gala here on Saturday but the peace seemed fragile as state party chief Shivpal Singh Yadav took many pot shots at his nephew and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

Lucknow: The ruling Samajwadi Party is celebrating the party's mega silver jubilee celebrations on Saturday with Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Rashtriya Lok dal (RLD) leaders sharing the stage with Mulayam Singh Yadav, CM Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav.

05 November 2016

13:47 PM

Lalu Prasad Yadav ties to play peacemaker between Shipal Yadav and Akhileah Yadav, says there is no dispute between uncle and nephew.

"We are here to strengthen SP. We have chased away BJP in Bihar. Just like 'geedad' (jackal) is chased away we will chase away BJP from UP too," Lalu says.

13:32 PM

Akhilesh Yadav addresses Samajwadi Party silver jubilee event.

Exuding confidence in SP of winning UP Elections 2017, Akhilesh launched a direct attack on Bharatiya Janata Party, says communal forces need to be defeated.

In an apparent dig at uncle Shivpal, Akhilesh says, "I have been handed over a sword, so will make sure to use it."

13:28 PM

Shivpal Yadav pushes aside Samajwadi Party leader Javed Abidi, who was heaping praise on Akhilesh Yadav at the mega event.

12:03 PM

Rift not over in Samajwadi Party. Shivpal Yadav says I have always worked for the party and don't have chief ministerial ambitions.

Speaking from the same dais, where Akhilesh is also present, Shivpal Yadav says, "Mr Chief Minister I have worked for the government and the party," adding that and I don't have CM ambitions, sack me, insult me as many times you want, but no one can question my contribution towards the party.

"I want to tell popular CM Akhilesh that whatever sacrifice you want from me, I will give. I never want to become CM. You can insult me, sack me many times (as minister) but I can even give my blood for the party. You (CM) have done a good job. But I have also done a good job in past four years in the ministries given to me. You can verify works done by me in PWD, irrigation, Revenue, Cooperative and others departments," says Shipal.

In an apparent dig at Akhilesh Yadav, Shivpal says, some people get everything because of luck and dynasty, while some achieve through hard work.

11:37 AM

Shivpal Yadav greets all the political biggies Lalu Yadav, Ajit Singh, DV Gowda, Sharad Yadav Abhay Singh Chautala with bouquets.

11:29 AM

SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav arrives at the venue, is greeted  by all the political leaders.

Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Abhay Chautala and RLD chief Ajit Singh have also arrives to attend the grand celebrations.

11:15 AM

Union Minister and senior BJP leader Uma Bharti takes a dig at the SP function says, the event is a farewell for Mulayam Singh Yadav's party and the incumbent Uttar Pradesh government.

11:14 AM

JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav says there have been no talks on 'Mahagatbandhan', let's wait for the future how things carve out.

11:12 AM

Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Deve Gowda says, I have come to attend SP's silver jubilee function and as of now no talk of an alliance has happened.

11:07 AM

Lalu Prasad Yada says Bharatiya Janata Party will be routed from Uttar Pradesh as it was during Bihar Assembly elections.

11:01 AM

Shivpal yadav, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sharad Yadav and Ram Jethmamlani arrive at the event

10:45 AM

CM Akhilesh Yadav arrives at the venue for Samajwadi Party's silver jubilee celebrations.

08:43 AM

Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, RLD chief Ajit Singh, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Abhay Chautala, JD(U) leader Tyagi and noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani will be in attendance at the event.

Shivpal Yadav said the party will formally launching its election campaign from Saturday.

With JD(U), RLD deciding to attend Samajwadi Party Swarn Jayanti Samaroh today, it seems a 'Mahagatbandhan' is expected to become a reality before the coming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh on the lines of Bihar.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has vowed that the JD-U would contest the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls next year.

Notably, the SP had walked out of the RJD-JD-U alliance in Bihar last year, straining relations between Nitish Kumar and Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Recently, Nitish Kumar mooted the idea of an opposition grand alliance at the national level to take on the BJP-led NDA government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2019 general polls.

Nitish Kumar said the opposition parties have to be united in the country to fight against the BJP. "All non-BJP parties have to unite. It is the need of the time."

In a bid to portray a united front ahead of the 2017 state Assembly elections, the ruling SP presented a united picture on Thursday as UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav embarked on the first phase of the 'Samajwadi Vikas Path Yatra'.