Tired of waiting, Shivpal Yadav readies new political outfit

Lucknow, Aug 28: Amidst all the combinations that are being formed ahead of crucial 2019 Lok Sabha elections, a new party is set to emerge in Uttar Pradesh. The party is being floated by Shivpal Yadav, the brother of Samajwadi Party supremo, Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The party which would be independent of the SP and BSP, would include smaller parties such as the Apna Dal Krishna Patel faction, Maran Dal among other parties. While Shivpal would not form any truck with either the BSP or SP, there is a speculation that he could back the BJP.

It may be recalled that over the past couple of weeks, Shivpal has held talks with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath. He has also visited Delhi several times in recent months.

Shivpal Yadav is expected to launch the party sometime in September. The party is likely to eat into the vote share of the SP and BSP and this could indirectly help the BJP in 2019. The BJP has fought several by-elections in Uttar Pradesh recently, but had lost out to a combined SP-BSP.

Shivpal Yadav has however not made his intentions public as yet. On Sunday, he had said that he was waiting for over one and half years now, but has not been assigned any responsibility in the SP.

The decision by Shivpal would be crucial. He could use it to bargain with the SP under Akhilesh Yadav.

Further if he decides to go through with his decision, then the SP would lose its bargaining capabilities with the BSP in case of an alliance for 2019.