Battle intensifies within SP for LoP’s post

Lucknow: The internal tussle within the Samajwadi Party for the coveted post of Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly has reached a fever pitch following Akhilesh Yadav’s election to the Lok Sabha. Yadav has since resigned from his membership in the state Assembly, leaving a significant vacancy.

Several senior leaders have emerged as potential successors. Notable frontrunners include Shivpal Singh Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav’s uncle, former Assembly speaker Mata Prasad Pandey, Indrajit Saroj, Ramachal Rajbhar, and former minister of state Ravidas Malhotra. However, party insiders hint that the final choice might be an unexpected candidate.

In the 2022 Assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party secured 111 out of the 403 seats, positioning Akhilesh Yadav as the Leader of Opposition. Rajendra Chaudhary, the party’s chief spokesman, has stated that Akhilesh Yadav will soon announce his decision regarding his successor. While Chaudhary acknowledged the speculation around various candidates, he refrained from confirming any names.

The Samajwadi Party and the Congress, which formed an alliance for the general elections, achieved a combined victory in 43 out of Uttar Pradesh’s 80 Lok Sabha seats, with the Samajwadi Party winning 37 and the Congress securing six. The Opposition has already set its sights on the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

Shivpal Singh Yadav, currently serving his sixth term as an MLA from Jaswant Nagar in Etawah district, is a prominent contender, having previously held the position of Leader of Opposition during the Mayawati-led BSP government from 2007-2012. Mata Prasad Pandey represents the Etwa seat in Siddharthnagar district, while Indrajit Saroj, Ramachal Rajbhar, and Ravidas Malhotra represent the Majhanpur, Akbarpur, and Lucknow constituencies, respectively.

Beyond the Leader of Opposition role, intense lobbying is also underway within the Samajwadi Party for the Karhal Assembly seat, vacated by Akhilesh Yadav. Yadav had won this seat in 2022 by a significant margin, defeating BJP candidate S.P. Singh Baghel.

Other key seats up for by-polls include Milkipur in Ayodhya district and Katheri in Ambedkar Nagar district. Awadhesh Prasad, the SP MLA from Milkipur, was recently elected as MP from Faizabad.