Now, Shivpal to launch his yatra in UP

Lucknow, Sep 1 With the state Assembly elections round the corner, Uttar Pradesh is now witnessing a season of yatras.

After BJP's 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra, Samajwadi Party's 'Samvidhan Bachao Sankalp Yatra', AAP's 'Tiranga Yatra' and Raja Bhaiyya's 'Jansewa Sankalp Yatra', it is now Shivpal Yadav, president of Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia (PSPL) who is embarking on a 'Samajik Parivartan Yatra' across Uttar Pradesh.

The yatra is likely to begin in mid-October from either Lucknow or Sefai in Etawah.

"The route of the Yatra is being finalised by party president Shivpal Yadav in consultation with his son Aditya," said a party leader.

PSPL's chief spokesperson Deepak Mishra said that the yatra will be led by the 'Samajik Parivartan Rath' a bus equipped with essential amenities, including a rest room, an office cubicle and a meeting room.

Sources said that though Shivpal Yadav has been meeting leaders like Om Prakash Rajbhar, Asaduddin Owaisi, Chandra Shekhar Azad on a regular basis, he is not waiting for an alliance to formalise and will start his own election campaign.

Chances of a broader alliance with the Samajwadi Party also seem bleak since Akhilesh recently stated that his party would leave the Jaswant Nagar seat for his uncle, Shivpal, but remain non-committal on seat adjustment elsewhere.

Shivpal, on the other hand, said that he wanted 'respectable' adjustment of his party leaders who have stood by him through thick and thin.

He said that he had tried to reach out to Akhilesh but did not get any response.