Shivpal Yadav announces new party

Weeks after launching the Samajwadi Secular Morcha, Shivpal Singh Yadav on Tuesday announced his new political party, registered with the Election Commission as Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia.

Earlier, Yadav had said his front will contest all 80 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 elections.

"Our new party has been registered. Its name is Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia," Yadav said at an event here to enrol members for the morcha.

His aide and former minister Sharda Pratap Shukla said the new party will become a big force in the state.

Yadav launched the SSM on August 29 after falling out with nephew and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav.

He had complained that he felt neglected in the SP, which was founded by his elder brother Mulayam Singh Yadav after his nephew took charge.

Shivpal Yadav, however, is still an SP legislator from Jaswant Nagar in Etawah district.

At Tuesday’s event, Shivpal Yadav said he had always wanted "unity" in the party but neither he nor Mulayam Singh Yadav got the due respect under Akhilesh Yadav.

“I was pushed out,” he said.

"I ask you all not to get involved in sycophancy. You will be free to point out if there is something wrong going on. I will allow this freedom in my party," he said.

Claiming extensive support for his political front, "There is an anti-people government at both the Centre and the state.”

“Due to their wrong policies and decisions, people are upset with them. Demonetisation and GST (Goods and Services Tax) have broken the backbone of traders and the economy," he said.

He said the promises made by the BJP had not met.

Recently, Mulayam Singh Yadav’s daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav had shared the stage with Shivpal Yadav, expressing support.

Mulayam Singh Yadav too has been on the same stage with Shivpal Yadav after the new morcha was formed.

But the SP patriarch has also appeared at a public meeting with his son Akhilesh Yadav.