'Estranged uncle' Shivpal blessed and congratulated me: Akhilesh Yadav

Agra: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said his estranged uncle Shivpal Yadav blessed and congratulated him during a phone conversation on Wednesday.

As he was addressing a press conference a day ahead of his party's two-day national convention here, the former UP chief minister was asked about reports that his uncle had called him up.

"I got the benefit of my age and our relation. He (Shivpal) gave me blessings and congratulated me also," Akhilesh Yadav, who is all set to be re-elected as the SP national chief for a five-year term, said.

The SP has witnessed a bitter feud between Akhilesh and Shivpal and this infighting adversely affected the party during the UP Assembly polls earlier this year.

However, despite the phone call party veteran Mulayam Singh Yadav and Shivpal were both not present here before the key party meet, expected to be attended by over 15,000 workers, begins. The two had also skipped the party's state meet in Lucknow last month.

On the possibility of his father Mulayam attending the convention, Akhilesh said, "I have personally invited him and seek his blessings again."

To another question, Akhilesh said the Samajwadi Party's alliance with Congress will continue.

"Our friendship will remain," he said. The two parties had entered into an electoral tie-up before the UP assembly polls earlier this year.