Samajwadi Party’s rebel leader Shivpal Singh Yadav, who has floated Samajwadi Secular Morcha, got a shot in the arm when Mulayam Singh Yadav’s daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav announced her support to him on Saturday. 

Only a day earlier, Mulayam Singh Yadav had served a shock to his son and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav by sharing stage with Shivpal on the death anniversary of veteran socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia at a function in the state capital on Friday.

Aparna, who is married to Prateek, the younger son of Mulayam Singh Yadav, declared her support to Chachaji (Shivpal Yadav) and his Samajwadi Secular Morcha.

At a function in Lucknow on Saturday, Aparna shared the stage with the SSM founder and announced to work for strengthening the Morcha.

Addressing a gathering, Aparna said, “After Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav), I have the highest regard for Chacha Shivpal. We will work towards making Samajwadi Secular Morcha stronger. Chachaji would decide the right time for me to join the SSM and contest election.”

Later, reverting to political rhetoric, Aparna said that farmers were suffering in the Bharatiya Janata Party rule in UP and Army jawans were dying on the borders. She said that the national mood was fast turning against the BJP and people wanted a positive change in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll.

Speaking on the occasion, Shivpal said, “Time has come to take some big decisions. We want to bring change in the society. More than 24 parties are in contact with us and we will be taking the BJP head-on in the 2019 election.”