Uttar Pradesh: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav will not contest in the 2022 assembly election, but his party will fight

News Desk: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav declared on Monday that he will not be contesting the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls. While the SP president himself may not contest from an assembly seat, his party will be fighting the high-stakes election due early next year.

In this regard, the SP is eyeing pre-poll alliances with regional parties. It has already sealed the deal with Om Prakash Rajbhar’s Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party.

More recently, the SP has finalised a tie-up with Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) for the assembly polls, Akhilesh Yadav said.

“Our alliance with RLD is final. Seat sharing is to be finalised” he said.

On the chances of forming an alliance with uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav’s Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia (PSPL), the former UP chief minister said “I dont have any problem with this. He and his men will be given due honour”.

With the assembly polls drawing closer, Akhilesh Yadav has been campaigning in the state and mounted a sustained attack on the ruling BJP, claiming that the party has only looted the people of UP and will be wiped out in the upcoming election.

Last week, one BJP MLA and six BSP legislators joined the Samajwadi party, prompting Akhielsh Yadav to remark that the Bhajpa pariwar (BJP family) will become the Bhaagta Pariwar (runaway family) in the coming days.

Samajwadi Party’s media consultant Ashish Yadav said in a tweet that the party will take the final call on whether or not Akhilesh Yadav contests the assembly polls.