Shivpal extends olive branch to Akhilesh

Expelled Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Shivpal Singh Yadav on Tuesday extended an olive branch to his estranged nephew and SP president Akhilesh Yadav saying that he wanted to see Akhilesh as the next chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.

Shivpal, in an apparent bid to unite the family, has invited all the members of the family to attend a grand function, that he is organising on the occasion of SP patron's Mulayam Singh Yadav's birthday on Thursday.

In an informal chat with reporters, Shivpal said that he was not in the race for the post of chief minister. ''I want to see Akhilesh become the chief minister again....SP can come to power if we unite,'' he added.

''The family must show unity on Netaji's (Mulayam) birth day...I am ready to make any sacrifice for unity in the family,'' he remarked.

Shivpal's comments came close on the heels of Akhilesh's remarks that he would have no problem if his estranged uncle returned to the party fold.

According to the sources in the SP, Mulayam has asked both Shivpal and Akhilesh to mend fences.

Shivpal, who had been expelled from the SP by Akhilesh three years back, formed his own outfit Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (PSP).

Shivpal had contested against his nephew and SP nominee Akshoy Yadav in Ferozabad constituency. Though Shivpal failed to win, he ensured defeat of Akshoy by securing around one lakh votes. Akshoy lost to BJP candidate by 28 thousand votes.

Besides, there were reports that Shivpal had also campaigned against Akhilesh's wife Dimple Yadav on Kannauj LS seat. Dimple lost to BJP nominee by 13 thousand votes.

SP could win only five seats in the LS polls while its alliance partner BSP was able to pocket ten seats. SP lost in its bastions of Firozabad, Badayun and Kannauj.