By Pradeep Kapoor
LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has shown political maturity by giving key position to his uncle Shivpal Yadav as national vice-president in recently constituted national executive of the party. It would be worth mentioning here that Akhilesh Yadav sorted out his differences with his estranged uncle after the demise of his father Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Few months back Akhilesh Yadav visited the residence of his uncle Shivpal Yadav and sought his help to campaign for his wife Dimple Yadav who contested from Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat which was vacant due to death of Mulayam Singh Yadav who had won from there in 2019.Lok Sabha polls.
Shivpal Yadav was also looking for a respectable home-coming so immediately he announced merger of his party with Samajwadi Party. It was due to help and campaign by Shivpal Yadav, SP won from Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat with impressive margin. The contribution of Shivpal Yadav in this victory was quite visible.
The responsibility given to Shivpal Yadav will certainly help Samajwadi Party at the ground-level as he was instrumental in building the party organisation on behalf of his elder brother Mulayam Singh Yadav who was busy in political activities at national level..
The induction of Shivpal Yadav in the organisation has enthused the party workers as he is most accessible to them. Earlier even as state president, Shivpal Yadav was always surrounded by party leaders and workers.
Akhilesh Yadav has also given key position of national vice-president to Swami Prasad Maurya despite his involvement in Ram Charit Manas controversy. Significantly enough Akhilesh Yadav has retained Prof Ram Gopal Yadav as Principal National Vice-president. Second most important person in the party. Mohd Azam Khan continues to be muslim face of the party, the position he enjoys since the inception of the party. He has also been given key position of national vice-president.
Keeping Mission 2024 Lok Sabha polls in mind, Akhilesh Yadav has given importance to non-Yadav OBCs, Dalits and Muslims in the national executive. SP is also preparing schedule for Akhilesh Yadav to start visiting Lok Sabha constituencies and reach out to masses and set the party’s narrative for Mission 2024.
It would be worth mentioning that Samajwadi Party could only retain its five seats in Lok Sabha in 2019 while the alliance partner BSP won 10 seats. The fact remains that BSP could not open account in 2014 but in 2019 the strategic alliance with SP helped BSP to get 10 seats.
As of now RLD has already announced to contest Lok Sabha polls in alliance with Samajwadi Party but Akhilesh Yadav is in touch with smaller parties and groups to enlarge the vote share.
Although BJP is much ahead in preparations for Lok Sabha polls, being the main opposition party leader Akhilesh Yadav has a bigger responsibility to look for alliance partners and set the narrative against BJP to put up the challenge before ruling party and increase number of seats in Lok Sabha. (IPA Service)
