Congress' poll strategist Prashant Kishor on Tuesday held a two-hour meeting with Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, who is trying to cobble together an alliance of like-minded parties ahead of Uttar Pradesh assembly polls due early next year.
The Dedh Ishqiya actress performed at the Samajwadi Party's annual extravaganza in Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's native village Safai in Uttar Pradesh.
"Changes should be visible in six months and the manifesto should be implemented within a year as there is no guarantee when Lok Sabha elections are announced after that," Mulayam said, addressing party leaders and workers at a function to mark the 102nd anniversary of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia in Lucknow.
After witnessing a near rout in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh might be facing the toughest challenge in its political history. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who was basking in the glory of wrestling the reigns of the state from Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati in the 2012 assembly elections, is now facing political heat in more ways than one.
Ruling Samajwadi Party appeared to be headed for a split on Sunday as Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his party supremo and father Mulayam Singh were engaged in an open face-off, sacking each other's loyalists Shivpal Yadav and Ramgopal Yadav.
Even as Uttar Pradesh chief minister designate Akhilesh Yadav was awaiting his coronation on Thursday, his father and Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav was busy giving final touches to the formation of the son's first government.
Shivpal Yadav will contest the elections from Jaswantnagar, the constituency sought for him by SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Twenty-four legislators were inducted as Cabinet minister and 67 as ministers of state.
Even as Akhilesh Yadav has emerged stronger in Uttar Pradesh politics, the Samajwadi Party has become weaker due to family feud, reports Virendra Singh Rawat.
Who stands to benefit more out of the visibly-possible renewed relationship between Samajwadi Party Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh?
Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Wednesday sought to downplay the resignation of his close associate Amar Singh from key posts of the party, saying there were no differences with him.
A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra will hear the plea of Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee.
Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav sprung a surprise on Friday saying that he supported the Women's Reservation Bill and that he did not want a "quota within quota".
A day after high drama at a key meeting of the ruling Samajwadi Party, its state unit chief Shivpal Yadav on Tuesday said all was well in the party as he visited Mulayam Singh Yadav's residence and was joined in later by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.
For the third time in as many weeks, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday heaped praise on BJP leader L K Advani, describing him as an honest person who has suffered a lot during the country's partition.
The Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the alleged acquisition of disproportionate assets by Samajwadi Party Chief Mulayam Singh and his son Akhilesh Yadav, Uttar Pradesh chief minister, may be headed for a closure with investigators said to have not been able to gather enough evidence.
Addressing an election meeting, Amar Singh charged Mulayam with giving protection to the corrupt and criminals and said that Yadav's cycle, SP's poll symbol, "had two wheels (Mualyam and Amar Singh) of which one has been removed and with one wheel left it would only grace a circus after the polls".
Shivpal refused to comment on whether the SSM will eventually part ways with the Samajwadi Party.
Despite the Samajwadi Party announcing moves to seek his disqualification, expelled party leader Amar Singh on Tuesday ruled out resigning from the Rajya Sabha and dubbed the seat as a "parting gift" given to him by Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Expelled leader Amar Singh on Tuesday hit back at the Samajwadi Party, saying that the only deal he tried to strike with the United Progressive Alliance government in 2008 was to 'exonerate' Mulayam Singh Yadav from the disproportionate assets case."I did not make any deal but only asked for one favour from the UPA government and that was the exoneration of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav from the disproportionate assets case," he said.
The idea is to reinforce Mulayam's 'dhartiputra' or son-of-the-soil image, say party sources.
Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Congress MP Mohammad Azharuddin were on Thursday detained by Uttar Pradesh police while they were on their way to a violence-hit village in Moradabad where restrictions are in force.
The refusal of the apex court to concede an appeal by Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and his clan for reprieve in the disproportionate assets case has left the entire family high and dry.
Dissident Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kalyan Singh on Sunday met Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav amid growing apprehensions that the BJP's 'mandir-mandal' face may change sides in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls. Sources in BJP said that the meeting could have been triggered due to Kalyan's presumption of disciplinary action against him.
Refuting reports of an alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party, Samajwadi Party Supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav said on Friday that his party was against BJP and there was not even a remote chance of an alliance.
A Varanasi court on Tuesday fixed February 15 for the hearing of a petition seeking a survey of all closed basements in the Gyanvapi mosque complex by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Yadav said the appointments will be made very soon since there is a shortage of sanitary workers in the local bodies.
In a stinging attack on Narendra Modi, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party was trying to hoodwink Muslims by talking of apology after "having allowed their carnage" in 2002 and dismissed as "baseless propaganda" Gujarat chief minister's development claims.
Samajwadi party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's daughter-in-law Dimple is the first lady from the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister's family to take a plunge into politics.
As yoga guru Ramdev raised the pitch against Congress over the issue of black money, United Progressive Alliance ally Samajwadi Party on Monday said it will support anybody who fights for the cause.
Janata Dal-United chief Sharad Yadav on Wednesday shared the dais with Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on the inaugural day of SP's national convention in Lucknow, fuelling speculation about their joining hands.
The Samajwadi Party on Tuesday demanded a ban on Bajrang Dal in the wake of attacks on churches and missionaries in Orissa and Karnataka, saying when there is a ban on SIMI the same action can be taken against the saffron outfit.
Intensifying its attack on Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday dared him to withdraw support to the United Progressive Allaince government if he was a true Lohiaite and ridiculed the SP chief for asking party workers to bag maximum Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh.
Firing a fresh salvo at Samajwadi Party, Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma has said that Mulayam Singh Yadav's party will win only four seats in the Lok Sabha polls and there will be a 'funeral procession for the party'.
Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has demanded that Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament Ashok Argal, who made allegations of bribery against his party in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, be arrested immediately.Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav termed the allegation as a 'drama' staged by the saffron party when they were about to be 'exposed for offering money' to RJD's Pappu Yadav.
Insiders say that Amar Singh has convinced the Samajwadi Party supremo that he alone could help him fulfill his prime ministerial ambitions. Sharat Pradhan reports
With his "extravagant" birthday celebrations drawing flak and questions being raised on the source of funds, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday asserted that state money was not spent on the celebrations and dubbed those making it an issue as "ignorant".
The move is directed at strengthening Samajwadi Party's weakening hold over a section of the OBCs, who have traditionally remained the most deprived lot. Sharat Pradhan reports
The feud in Uttar Pradesh's first family had ended on Saturday after Akhilesh restored all but one portfolio of Shivpal and promised to support him as SP's state unit president, a post from which he was himself removed three days back triggering the power tussle with his uncle.
Prayers were performed in a cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi on Wednesday night following court orders allowing the resumption of a practice said to have been discontinued three decades back, Kashi Vishwanath temple trust president said.