UP CM Yogi is honest and laborious: Shivpal Yadav

Lucknow, May 26: In a surprising development, Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia (PSPL) founder Shivpal Yadav called Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as "honest" and "laborious".

Speaking in the assembly during a discussion, Yadav said, "I say that UP CM is honest and laborious. Had he taken support of all legislators and others during COVID pandemic, things could have been managed in a better way."

BJP members approbated his praise of Adityanath by thumping their desks. "The government promises 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas', but it did not take support of all. UP CM is a saint, a Yogi. Yog means taking support of all," he said.

"CM could take UP to new heights only by taking support of the opposition," he added.

Shivpal Yadav, who is an SP MLA and was sitting with SP lawmakers, also said that had opposition taken his support "they would have been sitting in the treasury benches." "I made the party (PSPL) and also did election preparations. We announced 100 candidates two years ago. Had they been made candidates (by SP), they would have been there," he said pointing towards the treasury bench.

Both, Adityanath and leader of opposition Akhilesh Yadav, were not present in the house when Shivpal spoke. On the free ration scheme, he advised the government to provide it to elderly and ailing, but be cautious against turning healthy and young ones "lazy".

Shivpal Yadav

The rift between Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Yadav, who is six-time MLA, is getting wider by day. While talking to reporters, the former had recently said that the BJP can take his uncle, it should not delay it.

However, Shivpal responded by terming Akhilesh's statement as "irresponsible and childish". "I am one of the 111 MLAs of the Samajwadi Party who won in the recent assembly elections. If he (Akhilesh) wants to send me to the BJP, then he should throw me out of the party. The statement is irresponsible and childish. I will inform the media about my decision at an appropriate time," he said.