Mulayam Singh Yadav calls SP-BSP alliance 'inappropriate', hits out at Akhilesh Yadav for delaying ticket distribution

In what is being perceived as an embarrassment for Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, Akhilesh’s father and veteran SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday said that the alliance between the SP and the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is “inappropriate and against the interests of Uttar Pradesh.” [caption id=“attachment_3517367” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Mulayam Singh Yadav. PTI[/caption] Hitting out at Akhilesh, he questioned the newly formed alliance’s decision to split the seats in the state evenly. In addition, Mulayam also hit out at his son for  delaying the distribution of election tickets: “People are delaying the distribution of tickets, I have been given the name of the guardian and I have not written the work to do. Write the people who want to fight, I will give the ticket immediately.” ANI further quoted him as saying: “Party ko khatam kaun kar raha hai? Apni hi party ke log. Itni mazboot party bani thi. Akele 3 baar sarkar banai, teeno baar hum CM rahe, Raksha Mantri bhi rahe, mazboot party thi. Hum rajneeti nahi kar rahe, lekin hum sahi baat rakh rahe hain. (Who is ending the party? Our own party members. It was such a strong party. We formed the government thrice and I served as chief minister each time, served as defence minister as well. I am not engaging in politics, but I am just presenting the truth.)” Mulayam also extended support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, he said that the BJP has an edge over other parties in the polls. He said it seems that BJP is going ahead in the Lok Sabha elections, and the SP is still behind. The SP veteran had previously said that Modi should serve a second term as prime minister. “I congratulate the Prime Minister because he has tried to take everybody along. I want to say that all members must win and come again and Narendra Modi should become the Prime Minister again,” he had said in Lok Sabha. Mulayam’s comments came at a time when SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has been seen supporting Opposition leaders in forging an anti-BJP alliance to oust the Modi-led government from the Centre.