Lucknow, Jul 20 (IANS): Samajwadi Party national general secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav has said that efforts would be made to accommodate all the alliance partners in seat sharing for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Shivpal’s statement sets at rest all speculations about problems over seat sharing in Uttar Pradesh among the members of the newly-formed Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).
Talking to reporters, Shivpal said, "Alliance means accommodating all the political partners. We will all sit together and workout seat sharing. Samajwadi Party is making all efforts to strengthen the alliance and defeat the BJP."
Besides the Indian National Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Lok Dal, the Apna Dal (Kameravadi) and the Aam Admi Party are the major political parties from the state that are part of the new alliance.
Asked about the possibilities of roping in the Bahujan Samaj Party, which is not part of the two national alliances, INDIA or NDA, he said the BSP was not following the ideology of its founder late Kanshi Ram and was considered close to the BJP.
Shivpal said he would discuss all modalities of seat sharing with SP president Akhilesh Yadav. About possibilities of his contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he said he would follow the directives of the party leadership in this regard.
Shivpal, while replying to a question, said that leaders like the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar and former SP leader Dara Singh joining the BJP was immaterial because these leaders did not carry any weight.
Shivpal said the SBSP leader had made offensive comments even against those occupying constitutional positions like the Prime Minister and chief minister. "I have also remained in opposition. I have, however, never made any such comments. These people have made comments even against those who occupy constitutional positions," he said.
Shivpal denied giving a ticket to Mukhtar Ansari's son Abbas Ansari, who is SBSP MLA, and said that it was the problem of the SBSP and the BJP and the SP had nothing to do with it.