Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was seen touching the feet of his uncle and Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohiya) leader Shivpal Yadav on a stage while campaigning for the by-elections in Uttar Pradesh's Mainpuri.
Shivpal was one of the names in the list of 40-star campaigners released by the party recently for the SP candidate on the seat Dimple Yadav, wife of former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. The other prominent names that are included in the list are Akhilesh, Jaya Bachchan, Azam Khan and others.
The development comes at a time when the party is reeling under the differences between the two members, Shivpal and Akhilesh. However, both of them have lately been seen together at family functions.
Akhilesh Yadav and Dimple Yadav on Thursday met with Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) chief Shivpal Singh Yadav to discuss the elections.
Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat is a prestigious seat for the Yadav family and is a Samajwadi Party bastion.
There was speculation that Shivpal Singh Yadav may contest. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party declared Dimple Yadav as its candidate.
According to family sources, Shivpal Singh Yadav also supported Dimple Yadav's candidature after which the Samajwadi Party went a step further and included his name in its list of star campaigners.
This is the first time after the split in the Yadav family that Shivpal Singh Yadav not only supported Dimple Yadav's candidature but also came out to campaign for her.
Shivpal Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav had drawn apart before the 2017 assembly elections. Shivpal formed Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party in 2018 after losing the apparent battle to take control of the Samajwadi Party. The Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party did not get much electoral success.
Voting for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha by-election is to be held on December 5 and the result will be declared on December 8.
( With inputs from ANI )
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