'Party to Take Final Call': SP on 'Akhilesh Won't Fight UP Polls' Reports

"The decision will be announced soon," Samajwadi Party spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said.

File photo of Akhilesh Yadav.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/AkhileshYadav)

Following media reports quoting Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Akhilesh Yadav as claiming that he will not be contesting the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh next year, SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary on Monday, 1 November, clarified that the party will take the final call.

“As far as the question of Akhilesh Yadav fighting the assembly elections is concerned, the Samajwadi Party will take the final decision and the decision will be announced soon.”

SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary

WHAT WAS AKHILESH QUOTED AS SAYING?

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav was, on Monday, quoted by PTI as saying he would not be contesting the next Uttar Pradesh (UP) Assembly elections.

According to the report, Yadav, however, also said that his party’s alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) for the polls was final and seat-sharing was yet to be discussed.

On being asked about the chances of taking his uncle Shivpal Yadav's Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia (PSPL) along in the elections, Yadav replied:

"I don't have any problem in this. He and his men will be given due honour."

Background

Assembly elections in UP are slated to be held in February and March 2022.

Last month, on 4 October, Yadav was detained by the UP Police from outside his residence in Lucknow where he was staging a sit-in protest after being stopped from visiting Lakhimpur Kheri, where eight people, including four farmers, were killed on Sunday, 3 October. Following this, Yadav was reported to have said:

"Even the British did not commit such atrocities as much as the BJP government is doing on the farmers. The Minister of State for Home and the Deputy Chief Minister should resign. Rs 2 crore should be given to the farmers who have lost their lives. Their families should be given government jobs."

(With PTI inputs.)