SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav files nomination papers

Samajwadi Party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav Monday filed his nomination papers here for the Lok Sabha elections.

Donning a red cap, the octogenarian was accompanied by his son and party president Akhilesh Yadav and cousin Ram Gopal Yadav.

Mulayam Singh Yadav, however, did not attend a public meeting organised by the party. It was addressed by Akhilesh Yadav and Ram Gopal Yadav. Tej Pratap, Raj Kumar Yadav, Sobran Singh Yadav and Shubham Singh were the proposers and seconders of Mulayam Singh Yadav's nomination papers.

The occasion presented a united face of the SP-BSP combine with the presence of district presidents of both the parties.

The feud in the first family of the Samajwadi Party was, however, evident as Mulayam Singh Yadav's younger brother Shivpal Singh Yadav was not present there.

Shivpal Singh Yadav, who founded Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) after falling apart with his nephew and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, has announced his candidature from Firozabad in the coming polls.

During the Yadav family feud in 2016, Ram Gopal Yadav had sided with Akhilesh Yadav.

Mulayam Singh Yadav, the former defence minister, has won the seat four times in the past- 1996, 2004, 2009 and 2014.

Interacting with media after filing the papers, the SP leader exuded confidence that his party would win the election and said he is not a candidate for the prime minister's post.

He said BSP chief Mayawati will address a public meeting here on April 19.

He din not answer when asked about Shivpal Singh Yadav.

In the meeting, former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav claimed the BJP would not be able to form the government and alleged that it has only befooled people during its five years tenure at the centre.

"All the announcements made have turned out to be fake... The BJP had declared to remit Rs 15 lakh in the accounts of the people across the nation but failed to fulfill it... Similarly youth could not get employment and the farmers failed to get double price of their produce," Akhilesh Yadav said.

He exuded confidence that 'Neta Ji' (Mulayam) will win by a record vote with the BSP and SP joining hands in the larger national interest.