It may be a little late in the day, but Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav had apparently realised the futility of shaking hands with his one time sworn political foe and Bhartiya Janata Party rebel, Kalyan Singh. Mulayam, who had struck a alliance with Kalyan apparently in the hope of building a new backward axis in a caste-ridden Uttar Pradesh, had finally decided to dump the latter.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has accused the BJP government of mistreating his party workers in Ghazipur, following allegations of sexual assault and murder of a 17-year-old girl. Yadav also criticised the police investigation and announced financial assistance to the victim's family.
Discarded Indian pacer Praveen Kumar has joined Samajwadi Party on Sunday ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. Kumar, who has represented India in six Test matches and 68 ODIs, said that he met UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and took the decision to join his party. "I have met CM and decided to join the party. I will do whatever is possible for the party," Kumar told reporters after meeting the CM, who is also state president of SP.
The Uttar Pradesh government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe alleged irregularities in the Ram temple donation funds, a move welcomed by the Ram Mandir Construction Committee chairperson. The trust itself requested the inquiry to counter misinformation, while an opposition MP demanded a Supreme Court judge-led investigation.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ayodhya Ram temple has submitted its preliminary report to the Uttar Pradesh government. The SIT, formed on June 13 following requests from the temple trust, is continuing its investigation and expects to submit a final report within 10-15 days. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav had previously raised concerns about missing donations and demanded transparency in the probe.
The Samajwadi Party on Saturday distanced itself from Shahid Siddiqui, saying he is no longer a part of the party two days after his interview with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi made waves.
Opposition MPs, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, staged a symbolic protest in Parliament, enacting the "theft" of Ram Temple donations. The INDIA bloc demanded Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation and questioned his absence, also protesting police action against student agitators.
The Uttar Pradesh government has appointed Kulshekhar Singh, an ex-joint director of the Department of Prosecution, as legal aid defence counsel for the accused in the alleged Ram temple donation embezzlement case, following a boycott by the Faizabad Bar Association.
The funeral of Prateek Yadav, son of Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, took place in Lucknow with thousands of supporters in attendance. Family members and political figures paid their respects.
Rubbishing the anti-rape bill, Samajwadi Party said that it will oppose its recommendations in Parliament and at the all-party meeting.
In a major jolt to the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party, its national general secretary Naresh Agarwal and two sitting legislators from Hardoi joined the Samajwadi Party on Friday. "I am resigning from the Rajya Sabha and the post of BSP national general secretary," Agarwal said while addressing a gathering at a function at the SP headquarters in Lucknow. Besides Naresh, his son Nitin Agarwal and Rajeshwari -- both BSP MLAs from Hardoi -- also joined the SP.
The trouble arose when the youths entered Udit Narayan Inter College where Rahul's meeting was underway and chanted slogans and distributed pamphlets, official sources said.
The Samajwadi Party on Friday expelled six MPs for defying the party whip during Tuesday's trust vote.
Educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's indefinite hunger strike has entered its 20th day, with doctors warning of his critical health condition. Despite this, Wangchuk is resolute in his call for a peaceful march to Parliament on July 20, coinciding with the Monsoon Session's opening, to protest alleged examination irregularities and demand the Union education minister's resignation.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has intensified his attack on the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, demanding a scrutiny of call detail records of temple employees. He claims a significant majority of them have links to the BJP and accuses the ruling party of prioritising electoral gains over religious values amidst an ongoing SIT probe and recent resignations within the temple trust.
India's Monsoon Session of Parliament concluded with significantly low productivity, marked by frequent disruptions and protests from the Opposition, primarily the Congress, leading to minimal debate on key legislation.
During the meeting, held at the residence of Pranab Mukherjee, the government's pointsman for the deal, Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh was understood to have been briefed about the deal and the steps India would have to take in the coming weeks to push it through.
The Samajwadi Party on Friday said it will strongly oppose the Lokpal Bill in Parliament, holding it was against the very basis of democracy.
The first information report (FIR) was registered according to the directives of the Election Commission on Covid-related norms, officials said.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has launched a scathing attack on the BJP, asserting that Ayodhya will be their "Lanka" due to alleged corruption in Ram Temple donations. He also linked the issue to the NEET controversy, suggesting a wider pattern of malfeasance and predicting internal strife within the ruling party.
Samajwadi Party member of Parliament Shailendra Kumar, two members of Legislative Assembly including Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya, and a member of Legislative Council were on Sunday arrested in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh on charges of an attempt to murder after they allegedly threatened a candidate in local body elections, the police said.
Congress leader Pawan Khera met activist Sonam Wangchuk and members of the Cockroach Janata Party protesting at Jantar Mantar against alleged NEET paper leaks. The protest demands the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, with Wangchuk on an indefinite fast. Other opposition leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal and Dimple Yadav, have also shown solidarity.
Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha on Thursday rejected an indirect offer made by the Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh to join his outfit.
'Some people may not like what I am saying, but shortcomings have to be pointed out. These deficiencies should be rectified within the next three months.' 'This is Gorakhpur, where our CM himself resides. If such shortcomings exist here, then what will happen?'
'If elections are held with honesty you will see their defeat.'
Prateek Yadav, the younger son of Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and step brother of Akhilesh Yadav, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 38 after suddenly falling ill.
"SP had supported the UPA government to fight communal forces, but it has utterly failed to do so," he claimed.
Opposition MPs, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, staged a protest in the Parliament House complex against alleged donation theft at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and "police excesses" against student protesters. The INDIA bloc vowed to continue their agitation, demanding accountability from the government, particularly Home Minister Amit Shah, on these issues.
The SP leader said he endorsed the stand taken by his party's parliamentary group leader Ram Gopal Yadav that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was an honourable person, but the deal he is pursuing with the United States was not an honourable one.
Prateek Yadav, the younger son of Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and stepbrother of Akhilesh Yadav, has died in Lucknow at the age of 38. Although not involved in active politics, his wife Aparna Bisht Yadav is a member of the BJP.
The administration has sounded a high alert in Maharajganj and Kushinagar districts of Uttar Pradesh, while stepping up the monitoring of the Gandak and other water bodies downstream of rivers in Nepal, following devastating flash floods in the neighbouring country that have killed more than 350 people and left thousands missing.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday on Sunday attacked Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party on Muslim reservation issue saying these parties are trying to "entrap" the Muslims with the "expired salve" of secularism and religious reservation.
Newly-appointed Uttar Pradesh Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam on Wednesday hinted at an equal seat-sharing arrangement with the Samajwadi Party for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
"It is very tough to ensure that the funds I procure from Centre reaches my constitutiency. Most of it gets bungled up in Lucknow."
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed serious concern over ongoing student protests in Delhi, accusing the opposition of using them as a 'political tool' to further their interests. He urged opposition parties to raise issues in Parliament rather than on the streets, amidst demonstrations against the NEET paper leak.
The police have announced a reward on the head of the main accused, against whom a non-bailable arrest warrant has been issued.
Police in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, have registered a case against Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan and her supporters for allegedly obstructing government work, blocking traffic, and violating prohibitory orders during a recent protest.
The Allahabad High Court dismissed a petition filed by a businessman on behalf of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University regarding the demolition of its buildings, citing that the pleader was an outsider. Separately, the Moradabad Divisional Commissioner's court granted an interim stay on the demolition of 38 university buildings until the final hearing.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav criticised the BJP government's record on women's safety, alleging increased crimes and discrimination.
Promising various sops for the agriculture sector, the Samajwadi Party on Friday released its manifesto for Uttar Pradesh assembly elections proposing a ban on land acquisition except in urgent circumstances.
