Shivpal Yadav all set to switch to BJP? All party units dissolved, had supported UCC

New Delhi: The speculations of Akhilesh Yadav’s uncle Shivpal Yadav switching sides to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got emboldened today, with the latter dissolving party’s all units and working committees with immediate effect.

The big comes just a day after 67-year-old leader toed the BJP line and supported one of its core election promise Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Praising the UCC at a programme in Lucknow, he said that the law was essential & in better interest of the country. Though he refrained from direct adulation of the law but party’s spokesperson said, “Even Dr Ram Manohar Lohia was in favour of Common Civil Code and he even made it an issue in 1967.”

The party has called dissolution a ‘routine exercise’ but political watchers anticipate a tie-up in the works soon.

Shivpal Yadav-led Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) collaborated with Akhilesh Yadav in the UP elections but suffered a crushing defeat at the hands with BJP. More than defeat, the Uncle was upset with SP chief for giving him a raw deal in the alliance.

Also, there has been growing bonhomie between the saffron party & Akhilesh Yadav. Post SP’s disastrous debacle, Uncle has maintained distance from SP chief and is mending fences with BJP.

Earlier this month, Shivpal Yadav also started following PM Modi, CM Yogi and UP deputy CM Dinesh Sharma on Twitter. He also met CM Yogi Adityanath – a meeting that gained enough spotlight in light of his strained ties with nephew.

Before UP Assembly elections, Akhilesh’s sister in law Aparna Yadav also jumped ship to the saffron party, triggering talks of widening rift in the Yadav clan. When quizzed by mediapersons, she had said that she had parivaarvad and not parivar.