'Isolated' Shivpal to chart separate course

''Ditched'' by the Samajwadi Party (SP) patron Mulayam Singh Yadav, ''isolated'' former party general secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav could form a separate outfit with the help of disgruntled and sidelined party leaders.

Shivpal, according to the sources close to him, is likely to announce formation of a separate outfit in the next few days.

Shivpal is said to be under tremendous pressure from his supporters to ''shun'' Mulayam and go it alone. ''Mulayam will never abandon Akhilesh and side with Shivpal,'' remarked a senior leader and a close aide of Shivpal here.

Sources said that Shivpal was ''deeply shocked'' by Mulayam's last minute refusal to ''split'' the SP or at least announce formation of a separate outfit.

''Mulayam had agreed to go with Shivpal and make the announcement at Monday's press meet but he made a u-turn at the eleventh hour,'' the leader said.

A shocked Shivpal remained confined to his residence and boycotted the press conference. Though Shivpal was very much at his residence, Mulayam told reporters that he was in Etawah.

Sources said that Shivpal, who enjoyed the support of several senior SP leaders, who had been sidelined by SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav, on Tuesday remained closeted with his supporters to chalk out his future course of action.

The Akhilesh camp was ecstatic, when Mulayam said that his blessings were with his son though he did not support many of his actions.

''It is a clear defeat for Shivpal......he has been isolated and has no where to go,'' said an Akhilesh loyalist here.

Sources said that Akhilesh was in no mood to accommodate Shivpal though Mulayam would still want his son to ''adjust'' the former in the party organisation by giving him a respectable position.