Notwithstanding the confusing signals given by the Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav to the party workers, his brother, and convenor of Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party ( Lohia ), Shivpal Singh Yadav, is ready to flaunt his political might. Shivpal’s show of strength is likely to be held in Lucknow at the party’s national conference on December 9. The name of the president of the newly formed party is expected to be announced on the same day at a rally.

Shivpal, who still swears by his brother despite the ill-will with his nephew and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, has already proposed to Mulayam to take over as the president of PSPL. This was after Mulayam went over to the PSPL office on Tuesday to meet Shivpal. Sources close to the Samajwadi patriarch said the proposal was turned down by Mulayam.

Later, Mulayam went over to the SP office where his son Akhilesh was already present. Though Mulayam addressed the party workers on the eve of the birth anniversary of socialist icon Acharya Narendra Dev, his simultaneous visits to Shivpal’s office and the Samajwadi Party headquarters were not missed by many. As it is almost certain that the Akhilesh-Shivpal rift is here to stay, the Samajwadi Party patriarch wants to keep the party workers, as well as his brother, guessing about his next move.

The focus of Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party’s proposed national convention at Lucknow will be on the political necessity to oppose the Bharatiya Janata Party. It has been claimed by Shivpal’s party that about 40 secular organisations would participate in the rally, but on Mulayam’s presence at the event, even the PSP supporters are themselves not sure. However, Shivpal has proposed that like-minded parties should come on a common platform and contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He also offered to back Mulayam’s candidature as the Samajwadi Secular Morcha (it has now been registered as Pragatisheel Samajwadi Pary [Lohia] ) candidate from Mainpuri for the 2019 polls.

Signalling his intent that there will no looking back, Shivpal Yadav has said that the Samajwadi Secular Morcha was formed with “Netaji’s “ (Mulayam) blessings. Following his decision to chart a separate course in Uttar Pradesh politics, a few former ministers and MLAs who had been sidelined by Akhilesh Yadav were quick to join Shivpal’s secular front. They have been accommodated as party spokespersons.

As the rift between Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal shows no signs of ebbing, the Samajwadi Party is apparently wary to even face Akhilesh’s “chacha”. At the ‘grih pravesh’ ceremony of Mulayam’s younger son, Prateek Yadav’s house in Ansal API in Sushant Golf City in Lucknow on Wednesday, the entire Yadav clan was invited for the function. Apart from Mulayam, Akhilesh Yadav and his wife and Kannauj MP, Dimple Yadav were present. But sources said that when it was announced that Shivpal Yadav was coming to attend the function, Akhilesh reportedly left the venue.

However, his wife, Dimple reportedly participated in the ‘puja’.