In a bid to curb infighting within the party, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav is tipped to contest next year’s Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.
The party is of the view that Mr Yadav should lead from the front to send strong message to the SP workers and also to drive home the point his party is a credible alternative to the ruling BSP in the state headed by chief minister Mayawati.
Sources in the party revealed that Mr Yadav does not want to leave the state leadership of the party either to his son Akhilesh Yadav or his brother Shivpal Singh Yadav, who is also leader of the Opposition in the UP Assembly. The move is being seen in the party circle as an attempt to bring to an end the raging infighting within the party for a long time.
“The SP is faced with the challenge to establish its credibility as a real alternative to the ruling BSP in UP, given that the Congress too is attempting the same in the do-or-die battle next year in the state. Netaji (Mr Yadav) jumping into the electoral fray will not only lift the morale of the party workers, but there could even be a turnaround in its fortunes,” said a senior SP functionary.
Mr Yadav is a Lok Sabha MP from Mainpuri and has earlier represented Gunnaur, Etah and a few other Assembly constituencies. He had last contested in the Assembly election from Gunnaur which he had won by a record margin.
The move to field Mr Yadav in the Assembly election is stated to be part of the strategy of the SP to cash in on the absence of any chief ministerial candidate from the Congress.
Ms Mayawati is a member of the Legislative Council and is again not likely to contest the election this time.
The SP leadership is of the view that if Mr Yadav contests the Assembly election the party could take a decisive lead, with the immediate rival Congress, which is likely go to polls without any CM candidate, and the BJP, which is trying to find a foothold with the help of leaders like Mr Rajnath Singh and Ms Uma Bharti.