Locked in a battle of attrition with nephew and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Pragtisheel Sanajwadi Party president Shivpal Yadav announced to organise a huge rally to demand the use of ballots instead of Electronic Voting Machines in 2019 Lok Sabha poll. To be held at Rama Bai Ambedkar maidan in Lucknow on December 9, the rally has been coined ‘Save Constitution’ rally.

After poorly losing 2017 UP Assembly poll, Akhilesh Yadav, along with Bahujan Samaj Party, had alleged irregularities through EVMs and demanded that future elections be conducted with ballots only.

Anxious to develop a strong organisational base for his party ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Shivpal told mediapersons in Lucknow that the ‘Save Constitution’ rally would be organised with the help of Bahujan Mukti Party and would break all previous records in terms of attendance. He said that the PSP would lead the campaign against EVMs from the front.

Rubbishing the perception of his party’s proximity with the BJP, Shivpal said that his party PSP would not tie up with the BJP, either for Lok Sabha or Assembly elections.

Yadav stressed: “I have clarified several times that we are with non-BJP parties and aim at removing the BJP from power. We are with anti-BJP forces and will remain with them but would want 50 per cent seats.”

Shivpal Yadav added that the PSP would contest the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2022 UP Assembly elections in alliance with Bahujan Mukti Party.

The PSP chief alleged that the BJP governments at the Centre and in UP had failed in their duty of maintaining law and order and also in addressing issues of youths and farmers. He added that educated youth were unemployed, while women’s safety was in a shambles. What is more, farmers, youths and unemployed people asking for their rights were being lathicharged. “The people are fed up with the governments that ruled the state till date, including the BJP, and a new alternative will be created for the people through the rally,” he said.

Expressing faith with Samajwadi Party (SP) founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, Shivpal said that his party would celebrate Mulayam’s birthday on November 22 in a grand manner .

On the occasion, Bahujan Mukti Party co-coordinator Vaaman Meshram said that the upcoming mega rally would prove to be historic. He also said that the BJP was able to form the government over the Backward Class issue but nothing had been done to alleviate grievances of the people.