'Are they afraid of CBI?': Shivpal Singh Yadav questions why Opposition is delaying formation of mahagathbandhan

Lucknow: The Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia), a newly floated political outfit, on Tuesday suggested that Opposition parties were delaying the formation of a ‘mahagathbandhan’ (grand alliance) due to fear of the CBI. “Why are they delaying the formation of the mahagathbandhan. Who do they fear? Are they afraid of the CBI?” the party’s founder, Shivpal Yadav, aske at a press conference. [caption id=“attachment_3067726” align=“alignleft” width=“300”]  A file photo of Shivpal Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav. Photo credit: shivpalyadav.com[/caption] His remarks came a day after Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu announced in Kolkata, following a meeting with Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, that a planned conclave of Opposition parties for 22 November has been postponed. Responding to a question, he ruled out the possibility of tying up with the BJP, either in the Lok Sabha or Assembly elections. “I had earlier said that they (non-BJP parties) should call me, talk to me. We want 50 percent of the seats. To remove the BJP from power, we are with them (anti-BJP forces) and will remain with them, but we want 50 percent seats. Include us,” he said. While Uttar Pradesh has 80 Lok Sabha seats, the strength of the state Assembly is 403. The PSPL founder added, “The party which we have formed has permission of ‘Netaji’ (Mulayam Singh Yadav). And, let me tell you, we have been blessed by Netaji and will continue to be blessed by him. I have been with Netaji since childhood and hence I know him more than you (media).” He also said that his nascent party will organise grand celebrations across the state to mark the birthday of Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam and a dangal (wrestling tournament) will be organised in Saifai: the ancestral village of the Yadav family. Mulayam, who will turn 79 on Wednesday, was a wrestler before he took a plunge into politics in 1967. After falling out with nephew and SP president Akhilesh Yadav after a bitter family feud, Shivpal launched the Samajwadi Secular Morcha (SSM) on 29 August and announced his new political party last month after it was registered with the Election Commission. Shivpal also announced that on 9 December his PSPL and Bahujan Mukti Party, a Dalit outfit, will organise a joint rally in Lucknow on “Samvidhan Bachaao, EVM Hataao, Desh Bachaao”.