Lucknow, May 27: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday praised socialist leader Shivpal Singh Yadav, drawing a retort from Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who caustically said the CM has "a lot of concern for his uncle". Adityanath's praise for the senior leader came a day after he praised the CM for being "honest and hardworking".

Shivpal Yadav, who is the chief of the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia), had contested this year's Assembly polls on the symbol of the Samajwadi Party led by his nephew Akhilesh Yadav. Adityanath's appreciation for Shivpal Yadav is seen in the context of his distancing from nephew Akhilesh Yadav and growing proximity with the BJP after the Assembly elections.

"The chief minister did not speak on my amendment but has a lot of concern for my uncle. Till now, he was my uncle, but now the Leader of the House (Adityanath) is also calling him 'chacha' (uncle)," the SP chief said after the CM ended his speech on the motion of thanks to the Governor's address.

Adityanath had singled out Shivpal Yadav, praising and thanking him for distributing tablets and smartphones in his Jaswantnagar Assembly constituency in Etawa district. Adityanath had referred to the socialist leader as Shivpalji. Shivpal Yadav was present in the House when the two leaders were talking about him. Uttar Pradesh Lagging Behind in Key Development Parameters: Akhilesh.

Taking a swipe at the Leader of the Opposition, Aditynath said, "How much you talk of socialism…the fact is that you have transformed socialism into a mirage. Whenever there is a talk about socialism, Dr (Rammanohar) Lohia and Jayprakash Narayan are discussed."

"Nowadays, occasionally I see Sahivpalji's writing on Dr Lohia. You need to read about Dr Lohia," the CM said. Without taking names of Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav, Adityanath while referring about his party allies said, "Difference is that we are together and also near but you fellows despite being near are not together."

Shivpal, who is the younger brother of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, had earlier taken potshots at the SP president over the issue of Azam Khan and happenings within the party, triggering speculations of his walking out of the opposition grouping.

Shivpal Yadav had delayed oath taking and gone to the chief minister's bungalow to meet Adityanath. He also started following Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Adityanath on their Twitter accounts, indicating his growing closeness to the BJP.

Akhilesh Yadav had said that people meeting the BJP can't stay in the Samajwadi Party. Reacting to it, Shivpal had asked him to expel him from the SP legislature party. Akhilesh laughingly said that though he did not take the covid vaccine, Adityanath who received the jab had got infected.

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