Two estranged partners willing to fight LS polls with Akhilesh-led alliance

Lucknow: Two estranged partners of the Samajwadi Party- -Janwadi Party (Socialist) and Mahan Dal-- are showing inclination to return to the Akhilesh Yadav-led opposition alliance to take on the ruling BJP in the next Lok Sabha polls. The leaders of the two OBC caste-based regional parties, which were SP allies in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls but had left the alliance after its defeat in the elections, have all praise for the SP chief.

The development comes days after the exit of Om Prakash Rajbhar-led Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) from the SP-led alliance. While the Janwadi Party-Socialist (JPS) says it is strongly with Akhilesh Yadav and gearing up for the 2024 parliamentary polls, the Mahan Dal has all praises for the SP chief and ready to return with a condition, removal of Swami Prasad Maurya. Talk - ing to PTI , JPS national president Sanjay Chauhan said, “Akhilesh ji ke saath hai aur rahenge (We are with Akhilesh and will remain with him) .

Chauhan, who after the Azamgarh and Rampur Lok Sabha bypolls had said he would reconsider an alliance with the SP and also criticised Akhilesh for not campaigning for the party candidates, has now softened his tone and tenor. When asked whether he had any meeting with the SP chief recently, he said, “We keep on meeting and discuss programmes to strengthen the party for the 2024 polls. I will organise a big event in Lucknow in September.” Asked about SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, Chauhan said, “Rajbhar has no political ideology. He does politics of personal interests. He is a ‘parjivi prani’ (parasite). He needs support to survive. After 20 years of politics, he could not become an MLA until he forged alliance with the BJP.”