SP’s list of 26 nominees adds to confusion

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 16

Adding to the confusion prevailing in the Samajwadi Party following feud between Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his father and party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, the party announced the first list of 26 candidates for the Assembly elections scheduled to be held on February 15.

The party list was announced by Shivpal Yadav, who owed his allegiance to his elder brother Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday. Now, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav gets the cycle symbol announced by the Election Commission, the list of candidates declared by Shivpal Yadav has added to the confusion.

The Uttarakhand unit of the Samajwadi Party claimed that the list of candidates for the Assembly elections was the same as sent by the state unit. However, there is no word on the issue by the Akhilesh Yadav camp.

The state unit is also confused about which way to go as most of the senior state leaders owe their allegiance to Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Uttarakhand SP in charge Shivpal Yadav released a list of candidates for 26 seats in eight districts, including Nainital, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, Chamoli, Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat and Dehradun. Shivpal released the list on his letterhead carrying his name as the party’s UP president.

In 2002, the SP had contested on 63 seats, 55 seats in 2007 and 45 seats in 2012. However, the party failed to win even a single seat in all these elections.

In the interim Assembly of Uttarakhand after the formation of the state in 2000, the SP had three MLAs. In the 2004 Lok Sabha poll, Rajendra Kumar Baddi of the SP had won the Hardwar seat.

Satyanarain Sachan, party president of Uttarakhand unit, has said the party will contest on Mulayam’s symbol. The move by Akhilesh Yadav regarding Uttarakhand would be decided soon. Interestingly, Dimple Yadav belongs to Pauri Garhwal district. The state unit had earlier demanded that Dimple Yadav be made the Chief Ministerial candidate for Uttarakhand.