Lucknow: Mulayam Singh Yadav loyalist and senior Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav today met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath here. The meeting has triggered intense speculation within the SP and BJP party's circles, even as there was no word from either side on the agenda of the interaction. Shivpal said that the meeting with Yogi was just a courtesy call and nothing else.
The meeting comes in the wake after Mulayam and Shivpal both criticised SP president Akhilesh Yadav and blamed him for the debacle of the party in the recent Assembly polls. Shivpal has also hinted of forming a new political outfit. CM Yogi, earlier had a meeting with Mulayam Singh Yadav's younger son Prateek and daughter-in-law Aparna.
Its also been reported that Adityanath had also visited a cow-shelter run by an NGO managed by Aparna. Meanwhile, Aparna has alleged that her defeat in Assembly election from Lucknow Cantt was due to back-biting from SP leaders. She also rejected the speculations of joining the BJP. (UNI)