Presenting a soft corner for expelled leaders on the day when the party showed an united face during the launch of Akhilesh Yadav’s Vikas Rath Yatra, state SP president Shivpal Singh Yadav said if leaders offer unconditional apology from the party chief then they could be taken back.
“The expelled leaders will have to write to Netaji and apologise for their misdeeds. Then only can the party consider withdrawing their expulsion. But Netaji will take a final call,” he said and asked these leaders not to attend the party’s silver jubilee function of November 5. Shivpl also maintained that the expelled leaders should not have joined the rath yatra programme.
Addressing a press conference in lucknow on Thursday, Shivpal said that the party would celebrate its silver jubilee foundation day function in a big way where almost all leaders including MPs, legislators along with small and big leaders have been invited.
Disclosing that Congress leaders have not been invited for the function, Shivpal said that Socialist leaders like former PM H D Devegowda, JD (U) leader Sharad Yadav and K C Tyagi, RlD president Ajit Singh, RJD president lalu Prasad Yadav, leader of the Opposition in Haryana Assembly Abhay Chautala, senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani along with SP’s other state chiefs, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav have confirmed their participation. All the guests would reach lucknow by Friday evening.
When asked about the mahagathbandan, the state SP chief made it clear that the November 5 function had nothing to do with the show of strength for a mahagathbandan. “It is a party function and Socialist and secular leaders have been invited for it. The party leadership would decide on a mahagathbandan later on,” Shivpal said.
When asked if Amar Singh or expelled leader Ram Gopal Yadav would attend the function, Shivpal Yadav said that everyone has been invited but there is no response from them so far.