LUCKNOW: Days ahead of the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bye-election due December 5, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has taken the first step towards family reconciliation. On Thursday, he and his wife Dimple reached out to his estranged uncle and Prgatisheel Samajwadi Part Lohia chief Shivpal Singh Yadav at his Saifai residence.
The SP chief has entrusted the responsibility of taking over the legacy of his father late Mulayam Singh Yadav to Dimple by making her the party candidate from the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat. Dimple is a former MP from Kannauj. The 45-minute closed-door meeting among the family members assumes significance as the by-election is caused by the passing away of Mulayam Singh. The constituency was considered Mulayam’s bastion which he represented five times in the Lok Sabha.
Akhilesh was accompanied by his wife Dimple and cousin Dharmendra Yadav. Shivpal was flanked by his son Aditya. Sources said the meeting took place in the presence of Shivpal’s elder brother Abhay Ram Yadav. After meeting Shivpal, Akhilesh took to Twitter to post his photograph with Shivpal. “Along with the blessings of Netaji and elders of the family, the people of Mainpuri are also with us,” Akhilesh tweeted.