LUCKNOW: While Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed that it was an alliance forged by his father and party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav with the BSP which he had only mended, his rebel uncle and one of the founders of his party Shivpal Yadav launched a political front called Progressive Democratic Alliance (PDA) with the Krishna Patel faction of Apna Dal and Peace Party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections here on Tuesday.
Shivpal had floated his own Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia (PSP-L) last year parting ways from the SP charging nephew Akhilesh with inflicting insult on him. However, at an interaction at a TV programme on Tuesday, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav took his father Mulayam Yadav out of the race for Prime Minister's post saying it was not time yet for Netaji, as he calls him, to become the PM.
When asked if Mulayam Singh Yadav would become the PM this time, he said: "No, not as of now. But he will be given the due honour."
Thus the SP chief gave strength to BSP chief and alliance partner Mayawati's prime ministerial ambitions. On his chances of contesting upcoming elections from Azamgarh where his father is a sitting MP, Akhilesh said the option was open.
On the other, multiple political alliances juxtaposing each other are mushrooming in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the big battle when Shivpal brought Krishna Patel faction and peace party under one umbrella led by him.
Notably, Krishna Patel's faction of the Apna Dal had sealed a seat-sharing arrangement with the Congress also for two Lok Sabha constituencies - Gonda and Pilibhit a few days ago.
Announcing the formation of the PDA, Shivpal claimed that his front would contest on all Lok Sabha seats in UP except Mainpuri from where his brother and Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav is contesting.
The PSP-L also declared its candidates for 31 Lok Sabha constituencies on Tuesday. Other candidates will be named in coming days. Uttar Pradesh has 80 Lok Sabha seats and elections will be held on all seven phases from April 11 to May 19.
The Peace Party, another regional outfit, headed by Dr Mohammad Ayub, also joined the PDA on the occasion. Dr Ayub had supported SP candidate in Gorakhpur by-poll. On being asked about fielding Mulayam's daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav as a PSP-L candidate, Shivpal said he would do so if "Netaji" (Mulayam) asked him.