LUCKNOW: Passing a resolution at its national executive meeting here on Saturday, the Samajwadi Party authorised its president Akhilesh Yadav to take the final decision on stitching up alliances with like-minded parties ahead of 2019 big battle to stop the BJP from coming to power again.
What is more, the SP national executive, attended by a majority of members, also authorised the party chief to decide the number of seat it would contest in 2019.
"The most important resolution passed in the national executive was to authorise party's national president Akhilesh Yadav to negotiate with other parties for alliance and seat sharing for 2019 Lok Sabha polls," said SP national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav while interacting with media persons after the meeting.
Yadav further said that through another important resolution, the Samajwadi Party had decided to demand that 2019 elections should be held with ballot paper instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
On being asked what if the Election Commission did not concede to their demand, the SP leader said in that case the party would take to streets and launch a movement.
"We will talk to other like-minded parties over the issue and seek their participation in the agitation which would be launched at a mass scale in support of the demand.
"Hum unke (Election Commission) ke darwaze par jaa kar baith jayenge. Aur kya goli to chalaynege nahi. Gandhi ke desh mein satyagrah hi karenge aur kya kar sakte hain (We will protest at the doors of EC. We can't resort to violence. In Gandhi's country what else can we do but a sataygrah)?" he asked the media persons.
When asked about the reason for party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and former cabinet minister Azam Khan's absence in the crucial national executive meeting, Ram Gopal shot back by claiming that 90 per cent leaders of the party had attended the meeting.
"It is not necessary that everyone should be present. The quorum of the executive was complete. Party president was presiding over the meeting," he added.
On the issue of his younger cousin and former state president of the party, Shivpal Yadav, Ram Gopal denied having any discussion on him.
Notably, while Mulayam and Azam Khan were conspicuous by their absence, Shivpal Yadav was not even invited to the national executive of the party.
Over the possibility of him contesting the upcoming election from Sambhal in western UP, SP general secretary parried the question saying it was to be decided by the party.
"If asked so I will contest," he said.
On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's frequent visits to Uttar Pradesh, the SP general secretary said that the visits would increase manifold in the days to come.
"Let the elections come closer, he will have to pay many more visits to UP," Ram Gopal maintained.
However, on the issue of leadership of prospective grand alliance, the SP leader tried to play it down by claiming that every party had its own leader and there would not be any leadership crisis for the alliance.
"Look the central government is being run by a coalition of 17 parties. They all have their leaders. It's not that Narendra Modi is the only leader," he said to substantiate his point.
Elaborating more on the proceedings, the SP general secretary informed the media persons that resolution was also passed to thank the people of the state for making the SP candidates win the bypolls.
The party paid tributes to noted poet, lyricist and writer Gopal Das Neeraj.