The internecine feud within the Samajwadi Party has started taking its toll on its poll prospects as two party candidates including a sitting MlA and former Minister Aridaman Singh and his wife Pakshalika Singh switched sides and joined the BJP on Saturday. The SP had announced him as the candidate from Baah Assembly seat of Agra while his wife Pakshalika Singh was fielded by the SP from Khairagarh seat of Agra.
In recent weeks, 15 MlAs of the BSP, five of Congress and three from the ruling Samajwadi Party have joined the BJP.
The name of Aridaman Singh figured in the list of over 200 candidates announced by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on December 30. Earlier this week, former MP and SP leader from Gautama Buddh Nagar Ashok Pradhan joined the BJP.
SP sources said many more party leaders were likely to desert the party if the party’s election symbol of cycle was frozen by the Election Commission.
Both Akhilesh and Mulayam Singh Yadav have staked their claim on the party and its election symbol in their respective petitions filed before the EC. After hearing both sides on January 13, the EC had reserved its order and an interim order is likely to be announced on January 15.
Both Akhilesh and Mulayam Singh have issued their respective list of candidates.
The Mulayam camp has announced 397 candidates while the Akhilesh faction has released 237 candidates. Interestingly, 170 odd candidates are common in both lists.
The candidates, who found favour in both camps, were the most worried as they are in a fix to choose a faction in case the election symbol is frozen by the EC. Sources claimed that if the election symbol was frozen by the EC, both Akhilsh and Mulayam camps will make drastic changes in their respective list of candidates.
The candidates of Akhilesh camp fear more trouble for them as the CM has firmed up alliance with the Congress and Rashtriya lok Dal and likely to share at least 125 seats with the allies.
Meanwhile, even as the dispute within the SP reached the doors of the EC, there is no let up in the sabre rattling.
Claiming to be the state SP chief, Shivpal Yadav on Saturday announced sitting MlA Sobran Singh Yadav as the candidate from Karhal Assembly seat of Mainpuri.
The Akhilesh camp has already announced Abhishek Yadav as its candidate from the seat. Abhishek is presently the Chairman of Etawah district panchyat and is the son of Rajpal Yadav - the younger brother of Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Shivpal Yadav had replaced Akhilesh Yadav as State SP chief in September last year. But he was removed from his post on January 1, during an emergency national convention of the SP in lucknow convened by Ram Gopal Yadav and Naresh Uttam was appointed as the State chief.