Shivpal Singh Yadav: 'No possibility of joining BJP'

Former Uttar Pradesh minister Shivpal Singh Yadav on Wednesday said that there is no truth in claims that he can join the BJP and he is firmly with the alliance led by his nephew Akhilesh Yadav in the Uttar Pradesh elections.

In a brief statement posted on his Twitter handle, he urged his supporters to defeat the BJP and bring Samajwadi Party-led government to power. His remarks came on a day when his brother Mulayam Singh Yadav's daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav joined the BJP.

Shivpal Singh Yadav, who heads Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia), referred to remarks of BJP leader Laxmikant Bajpai. Bajpai had apparently said that if Shivpal Singh Yadav was feeling any dissatisfaction in Samajwadi Party, he is welcome to join the BJP. "There is no truth in the claim of Laxmikant Bajpai ji that I can join the Bharatiya Janata Party. The claim is completely baseless and without facts. I am with the Samajwadi Party coalition led by Akhilesh Yadav and call upon supporters to oust the BJP government in the state and bring back government led by Samajwadi Party," Yadav said in his statement.

Shivpal Singh Yadav's party is part of the alliance led by Akhilesh Yadav. Uttar Pradesh will go to the polls for its 403-member assembly in seven phases on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

(ANI)