NEW DELHI
There is strong buzz in Samajwadi Party (SP) leadership circles that the party leadership led by Akhilesh Yadav is planning to give major responsibilities of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections to his paternal uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav.
The party already has a whole panel for the selection of candidates but, according to party insiders, who will contest on what seats and how, which means how the campaigning can be conducted, that is where the Shivpal Yadav could play a key role. SP spokesperson Neha Yadav said, “It is true that his involvement will be beneficial, it has always been as such. In upcoming elections, they may also get the responsibility of Lok Saba elections. Also, whenever there is an organisational meeting, they are being considered which clearly states that they will have an important role in the upcoming elections.”
The most important factor, a party insider said, for his redemption is how he played an important role in the victory of SP candidate Dimple Yadav (wife of Akhilesh) in Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypolls. The leader added, “In Jaswantnagar Assembly constituency which is the part of the Mainpuri Lok Sabha segment and currently held by Shivpal, the party had a lead of more than 1 lakh voters from Jaswantnagar when the bypolls to Mainpuri were held which shows how important he is. Moreover, the Mainpuri seat is very important for Akhilesh and he would want to use all his guns to fight there to keep the SP a major power in the region.”
He further said, “He is a veteran politician and that is why they want to keep him engaged. He understands Azamgarh and Purvanchal very well. Now Rajhbars are also not with SP.
In several of Assembly segments, there are around 20,000 Rajhbars. And the Rajhbars on the other side can make the competition for the party tough and therefore Shivpal’s involement can play out to be productive.”
Political Science professor Lucknow University Dr Jitendra Kumar said, “He is a very important political person, if he gets the opportunity it will have a positive impact. Not only positive, but he playing the role will be good for the party compared to other people because he is connected to the grassroots and he has the popularity among people. Therefore, if he is given the space to figurehead the Lok Sabha elections, people will get connected with the party. He is an appealing person. I think people are not connecting with other leaders as much as they are with him.”
Born in Saifai village, Etawah district, Shivpal Yadav is the younger brother of Samajwadi Party leader and ex chief minister of Uttar Pradesh late Mulayam Singh Yadav and uncle of the former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav. He is a Member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, representing the Jaswantnagar seat in Etawah district, from 1996 till now.
Yadav was also the leader of Opposition in Uttar Pradesh Assembly since 2007 during the Mayawati regime. Currently, he is the National General Secretary of Samajwadi Party and was appointed on 29 January 2023.