New Delhi: In an indication of improving ties between the Mulayan Singh Yadav clan, the Samajwadi Party (SP) announced the name of ally Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohiya) chief Shivpal Singh Yadav as one of the star campaigners for the remaining phases of the Uttar Pradesh Election.
The decision to include the name of Shivpal Yadav comes after the Election Commission of India (ECI) further eased restrictions on poll campaigning. The EC also restored the number of star campaigners for a party in the ongoing assembly elections.
According to new rules, national and state parties can now field a maximum of 40 star campaigners, while 20 star campaigners can be named by registered but unrecognised parties.
Some of the prominent names to be included in the new list by Samajwadi Party for the remaining phases of polls are Akhilesh Yadav, Ram Gopal Yadav, Dimple Yadav and Kiranmoy Nanda. Swami Prasad Maurya, who rebelled against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to join SP ahead of the Uttar Pradesh polls also features in the list.
The Samajwadi Party had refrained from adding Shivpal to the list of star campaigners released ahead of the Assembly elections.
SP patriach Mulayan Singh Yadav is likely to spearhead the campaign for the remaining phases of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. He had recently campaigned for his son and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav in Karhal constituency.
The Samajwadi Party has formed an alliance with Shivpal Singh Yadav's Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohiya) to contest the state elections. Both Akhilesh and Shivpal are hopeful of their ties fetching them the required numbers to form the government in Uttar Pradesh.
The third phase of polling in the seven-phase Uttar Pradesh elections concluded on February 20 with 60.18% voting reported till 5pm. The remaining phases of elections are scheduled for February 23, February 27, March 3 and March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.