Shivpal’s ‘hurt’ generals desert party

Lucknow: After the 2017 assembly polls, Shivpal Yadav broke away from the Samajwadi Party (SP) to form the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohiyawadi).

Many veterans of the SP had joined the Shivpal camp. Keeping in mind the political future of these loyalists, Shivpal had demanded 100 seats from Akhilesh in the initial phase of reconciliation. Later this number dropped down to nine.

But finally only Shivpal Singh Yadav could get the SP ticket from Jaswantnagar. The hopes of the rest of the leaders of the PSP were completely grounded; many have started switching over to other parties.

Raghuraj Singh Shakya, state vice-president of PSPL and a two-term former MP from Etawah LS seat and MLA from Etawah Sadar seat, could not get a ticket, so he joined the BJP.

Former cabinet minister Shiv Kumar Beria, who had a stronghold on Kanpur Dehat’s Rasulabad and Bilhaur seats, was once considered very close to MSY, but he also joined BJP.

Sharda Pratap Shukla, a minister in the Akhilesh government and very close to Shivpal, was a contender from Sarojininagar seat, but Abhishek Mishra was made SP candidate in his place. Being hurt, Sharda Pratap joined BJP.

Former SP minister Malik Kamal Yusuf, who had been MLA several times from Dumariyaganj seat of Siddharthnagar, wanted a ticket for his son Irfan, but Akhilesh’s party fielded BSP turncoat Syeda Khatoon from this seat.

Now Irfan is contesting on behalf of Owaisi’s AIMIM. SBSP chief Omprakash Rajbhar is the candidate of the SP alliance from the seat of former minister Shadab Fatima, who was a two-time MLA from Ghazipur’s Jahurabad seat.

Now this influential woman leader of Shivpal camp has no option but to contest as an independent candidate.

Senior leader Rajendra Yadav from Bakshi Ka Talab seat is disappointed as SP has fielded Gomti Yadav in his place.