SP Unity remained short lived after Shivpal's left handed remark

Lucknow: The united face of Samajwadi Party at the launch of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's much-hyped Vikas Rath Yatra petered out almost immediately when the State Party President Shivpal Singh Yadav expressed reservation over the participation of expelled leaders on the occasion on Thursday.

'' Those who have been expelled should not have been invited at the flag off of Rath Yatra of Akhilesh,'' a sulken SP leader and uncle of CM Akhilesh told a press conference here. Shivpal was present at the function, rather surprisingly, but Akhilesh did not mention his name even once during his speech and the former's body language was also not befitting of the occasion.

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It may be recalled that Shivpal , after his spat with the UP CM, had expelled some of the youth leaders who were close to the latter. Expressing his objection over their presence, Shivpal minced no words to register his protest.

In another significant statement, the SP State President said the senior party leader ram Gopal Yadav, who was also expelled from the party, could be taken back if he made his case before the Party Supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Hinting at the 'grand alliance' ahead of UP assembly polls, Shivpal said that this alliance would be forged in other states as well. The final decision in this regard, however, rested with the Party Chief Mulayam.

In reply to a question, he said all preparations were afoot for grand celebration of party's silver jubilee foundation day on November 5 next. Senior JD(U) leaders Sharad Yadav, MP K C Tyagi, RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadav, JD (S) President H D Devegowda and former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala have been invited to the event. He made it clear that no Congress leader was likely to be present in November 5 function.

Later, in a reply to a question, Akhilesh said he had no knowledge of the progress made in case of the grand alliance proposal. He denied that there were differences in the party and the family. " Neither am I angry with any one nor any one is angry with me", he said.

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