Bond between BSP-SP growing stronger, will deepen further: Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said the relationship between the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party was growing stronger and would deepen further, as over 15,000 members from different parties joined the SP at a function here.

Addressing what he described as a "PDA" (Prem Prasar Samaroh) ahead of Holi, Yadav said the programme would strengthen brotherhood and cooperation among people.

"Peace and progress rest on the foundation of PDA. Social unity is the biggest achievement of positive and progressive politics, and that is why we have named it PDA," he said, adding that this year a "PDA Holi Milan" was being organised before the traditional Holi gatherings.

Among those who joined the party were former minister Naseeruddin Siddiqui and former MLA Rajkumar Pal of Apna Dal (Soneylal). Siddiqui, once considered a senior BSP leader and a close aide of Mayawati, had served four terms as a minister in her government before being expelled from the BSP in 2017.

Yadav emphasised that the joining was significant as it would further strengthen the PDA's prospects.

Referring to past efforts at opposition unity, he said that B R Ambedkar and Ram Manohar Lohia had once attempted to work together to give a new direction to politics, but circumstances and the political climate did not allow them sufficient time.

"Alliances were formed and later broke apart, but we hope that in the coming time we will together strengthen that struggle," he said.

BSP and SP formed an alliance before the 2019 General Election in UP. The alliance broke after the elections.

In an apparent attack on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Yadav accused the former of insulting a revered Shankaracharya.

"We stand with Shankaracharya ji," Akhilesh said without taking names. He further claimed that attempts were being made to question traditions and seek "certificates" from others.

During his recent address in the assembly, Adityanath broke his silence over the row between the district administration and Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati during Magh Mela in Prayagraj, saying that not everyone could use the title of Shankaracharya. He asserted that religious decorum and the rule of law must be upheld during events.