Mulayam supports Shivpal Yadav during 'show of strength' in Lucknow

Lucknow: Newly floated political front 'Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia)' President Shivpal Yadav, on Sunday, sounded the political bigul with his 'Jan Aakrosh' rally, where he accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of instigating communal riots for its political benefits.

Speaking from the stage set at the Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan here, Shivpal said, "There are a lot of national and social issues in front of us and that is why we have called the ‘Janakrosh’ rally today."

Targeting the BJP government, he said, "The saffron party fuels communal tensions for its political benefits. Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) believes in peace and unity and is committed towards uprooting BJP from state and the Centre."

Key Highlights:

- Shivpal's new political party has announced that it will contest 2019 Lok Sabha elections on all seats in Uttar Pradesh, except on the one where Mulayam will fight polls.

- After having differences with his nephew and SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav, Shivpal had formed a breakaway group called as ‘Secular Morcha’.

- The aim was to bring all the dissent Samajwadi Party leaders under one umbrella, before finally announcing a full-fledged political party of his own.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh surprised all by arriving for the rally organised by party rebel and younger brother Shivpal Yadav. Mulayam drove in minutes after his younger daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav arrived.

From hoardings, LED vans, pamphlets and crucial phone calls, preparations were in full swing before the masses flood Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan on Sunday.

Ramabai Maidan is the same ground where six-time independent MLA from Kunda, Raja Bhaiya, launched his Jansatta party.

The party has coined some interesting taglines to attract supporters. The poster showed Shivpal waving towards and crowd with "hain taiyyar hum" (we are ready) written in Hindi.

Other hoardings said, "Fir thi sangharsh ki mashall, aapke liye nikal pade Shivpal" (another torch of struggle has been lit, Shivpal has set off for people's will), chahne walo ka rela hai, Shivpal nahi akela hai" (Shivpal is not alone, he has supporters with him) and chacha tum sangharsh karo, hum tumhare saath hain (you continue your struggle, uncle, we are with you)."

"The main agenda of the rally is to raise our voice against the jungle raj of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Our motto will be Samvidhan Bachao Samaanta Lao, which means save Constitution and bring equality. The current regime of the Yogi Adityanath is at the mercy of God with crime graph soaring at all time high," said PSPL state vice president Ashutosh Tripathi.

Politically, both Raja Bhaiya and Shivpal are being seen as 'bricks in the wall, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to build against the grand alliance'.