The Samajwadi Party Parliamentary Board will meet here on Friday to discuss the political situation in Uttar Pradesh post-rains that have destroyed crops in 67 districts of the state and other farmers’ issues. The meeting will be chaired by SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and SP state president Akhilesh Yadav, along with senior party leaders Ram Gopal Yadav and Shivpal Singh Yadav will attend the meeting to be held at the party’s state headquarters here.
Urban Development Minister Mohammad Azam Khan is also expected to attend the meeting. “Communication has been sent to him. He is expected to attend the meeting,” a senior leader told ‘The Pioneer’ on Thursday. The leaders will discuss the political situation in the state, especially the farmers’ problems and the crisis arising due to the earthquake in Nepal and some parts of Uttar Pradesh. “The leaders will also discuss in detail Rahul Gandhi’s proposed visit to Uttar Pradesh during which he is likely to talk to farmers who have lost their crops in recent rains. The SP leaders may suggest that ministers in the Akhilesh Yadav Government also visit the affected districts and meet the farmers,” the source said.
The leaders are likely to chalk out a strategy for Mission 2017, projecting Akhilesh Yadav as leader of the campaign and Mulayam Singh Yadav as convenor. The source said that the meeting was likely to take a decision on the candidates for the nine seats of nominated members in the UP legislative Council. The terms of seats these seats will end on May 25.
The SP leadership is sceptical about Governor Ram Naik approving the list of candidates to be announced by the SP for the nominated seats of the Council. “As the Governor has so far not given consent to some Bills, he could seek details of the candidates to be nominated to the Council as these appointments are only for people who have made achievements in their fields,” a senior leader said. The party leaders will also discuss the candidates for the 25 seats of the Upper House from the local body constituencies that will fall vacant on January, 2016. The party has already sought applications from SP leaders keen to contest these polls and over 1,000 leaders have already submitted their forms to the party.