'Will contest from Azamgarh if party asks me to,' says SP leader Shivpal Yadav

The Lok Sabha constituency was held by Samajwadi Party patriarch, late Mulayam Singh Yadav, in 2014, and later by party president Akhilesh Yadav in 2019

Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party president Shivpal Yadav. | Photo Credit: Sandeep Saxena

Samajwadi Party’s Shivpal Singh Yadav has said he is not averse to contesting from Azamgarh constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections if the party asks him to.

The LS constituency was held by Samajwadi Party patriarch, late Mulayam Singh Yadav, in 2014, and later by party president Akhilesh Yadav in 2019.

Interacting with reporters in Azamgarh on June 16, Mr. Shivpal said, "It is for the national leadership to decide who will contest from Azamgarh. But the decision of the party will be respected."

Azamgarh is currently held by BJP's Dinesh Lal Yadav. Dinesh Lal Yadav had defeated SP's Dharmendra Yadav, a cousin of Akhilesh Yadav, in a 2022 by-election.

Akhilesh Yadav had won from Azamgarh in 2019 Lok Sabha elections but vacated the seat after winning from Karhal Assembly seat in 2022.

SP national general secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav, also Mulayam's brother, had defected from the party months before 2017 Assembly elections and formed his own party — Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia (PSPL).

However, following the demise of Mulayam Singh Yadav in October in 2022, Mr. Shivpal grew close to SP again.

He formally joined the party after the Mainpuri by-election in which campaigned for Dimple Yadav which led to her winning against the BJP candidate by a record margin.