Had set up a meeting between Shivpal Yadav and BJP leaders but he didn't turn up: Amar Singh

Lucknow: Expelled Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh today said he had set up a meeting between sidelined SP legislator Shivpal Yadav with top BJP leaders, but it did not take place. Amar Singh, who has earlier made known his own desire to join the BJP, said Shivpal Singh skipped the scheduled meeting.

"I have spoken to top BJP leaders for Shivpal. The time (of meeting) was also fixed but he did not turn up," Amar Singh told reporters here. "Now, I have no political responsibility for him. I am not in touch with him," he said.

When pressed for details, Singh told reporters that Shivpal Yadav lives nearby. "You can talk to him," he added.

Yadav has made clear that he is unhappy over being 'ignored' since Akhilesh Yadav, his nephew and Mulayam Singh Yadav's son, took over as SP president.

He recently said he is "still waiting for some responsibility" to be assigned to him, and cannot remain "neglected" for long. "For the past one and a half years, I am waiting for some responsibility to be assigned to me, but so far the party has not assigned any responsibility," he recently said in Etawah.

"How long can I be neglected?" he had said. Shivpal Yadav said the party should fight the 2019 polls unitedly.

Amar Singh said he will campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party as a common man. "There is no need for joining the party for it," he said. Singh has in the past made clear that he is not averse to joining the BJP, but the party has to invite him.