Shivpal backed out at last moment from joining BJP:Amar

Expelled Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Amar Singh on Tuesday claimed that sidelined SP leader and party supremo Akhilesh Yadav's uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav had backed out at the last moment from joining the BJP.

Speaking to reporters in Lucknow, Singh claimed that he had spoken to BJP leaders about Shivpal's entry into the saffron party and had also fixed an appointment for the SP leader to meet them.

''The appointment had been fixed but Shivpal did not turn up to meet the BJP leaders,'' Singh claimed.

Considered to be close to Shivpal, Singh said that as of now he did not have any ''political relation'' with Shivpal.

Shivpal, when queried about Singh's claim, remained evasive.

''Amar Singh is a big leader. He is free to say anything. I shall not make any comment on his remarks,'' he said.

Singh's revelation did not come as a surprise as there were reports that a sulking Shivpal, who had completely been sidelined in his own party, had been looking to chart his own course.

Shivpal had recently issued an ultimatum to Akhilesh Yadav and said that he was not going to wait ''indefinitely'' and would adopt an independent course if not given an important post within the SP.

BJP too has been wooing Shivpal and the state government had recently extended the deputation of his IAS son-in-law with Uttar Pradesh on the former's request within a matter of days.