Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav claimed that the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) had established a clear edge in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha elections held on April 19 and 26.
He said the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance would continue in Uttar Pradesh after the Lok Sabha elections and both the parties would go to polls together in 2027 UP assembly elections.
Shivpal Yadav countered the repeated charge by Prime Minister Narendra Modi about dynasty politics.
“How can a person who has no family and is unaware of the values and responsibilities of family can question others and level charges of parivarvaad," he said.
He added, “Those who do not have a family cannot understand its importance. Any attack on my family helps us to consolidate our position in this election. People know the importance of family. On this issue, voters are with my family.”
Responding to a jibe by the prime minister on Akhilesh Yadav-Rahul Gandhi joining hands, Shivpal Yadav said “is bar jodi hit hai”. (The Akhilesh Yadav-Rahul Gandhi combo is a hit in UP this time).
He said the attack on the ‘jodi’ was out of fear as they (BJP) know that the INDIA bloc has an edge not only in UP but also in South India.
Questioning the intentions of the Bharatiya Janata Party assertion of winning over 400 Lok Sabha seats, the SP leader said, “The BJP’s game plan is to change the Constitution by securing 400 seats. But people are aware of the BJP’s politics and they do not want a change in the Constitution. The electorate will foil the intentions of the BJP.”
Aditya Yadav, son of Shivpal Yadav, is making his political debut and is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Budaun constituency, presently held by the BJP.
The father-son duo are campaigning in Budaun in a bid to wrest this Lok Sabha seat from the BJP in the Rohilkhand region that has been a traditional stronghold of the SP.
Shivpal Yadav addressed several whistle-stop meetings in Budaun on Sunday. The SP leader is knocking on every door in Budaun as his son Aditya looks to make his maiden entry into the Lok Sabha.
SP candidate Dharmendra Yadav lost the Budaun Lok Sabha seat to BJP’s Sanghamitra Maurya in the 2019 parliamentary election by about 18,454 votes.
Yadav-Muslim voters have a sizable presence in Budaun and are expected to act as ‘shock absorbers’ for the SP to mitigate the loss of other constituents, if any. Initially, Shivpal Yadav, the SP’s Jaswantnagar MLA, was named as the party candidate for the Budaun Lok Sabha seat. It was at Shivpal Yadav's instance that Aditya Yadav replaced him.
