Samajwadi Party seems to be on the verge of a split with senior party leader Shivpal Yadav reiterating his resolve to float a new political outfit named `Secular Samajwajwadi Party’ on June 15.
Shivpal also lashed out at his cousin Ram Gopal Yadav terming him `Shakuni’—a villainy character of the epic Mahabharata. On April 30, Ram Gopal had termed Shivpal as an `ignorant person’ charging him of not reading the party’s constitution and talking `nonsense’.
Speaking to media persons at Etawah on Wednesday, Shivpal lashed out, "I have given three months time to Akhilesh Yadav to honour his promise of handing over party reins to Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav). If he fails to honour the promise, then I will float a new political party by June 15.’’
Shivpal also rebutted charges levelled against him by Ram Gopal saying, ``I may or may not have read the constitution of the party but I know one thing for sure. None other than 'Shakuni' has drafted the document. Shakuni has read the constitution of the party, I have read Bhagwad Gita and Shakuni should also read Gita.’’
Shivpal went on, ``Samajwadi Party contested the last Assembly poll in alliance with Congress under the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav against the wishes of Netaji. But the tall claims of forming a governmnt made by Akhilesh fell apart and the SP faced the worst ever poll rout. The SP had suffered a similar rout under Akhilesh Yadav in 2014 lok Sabha poll, as he was the Chief Minister and the party could win only 5 seats,’’ said Shivpal Yadav.