Shivpal Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav's brother and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's estranged uncle, said on Tuesday that he will form a new political party once the verdict of the Assembly elections is declared on March 11.
"Today, I have filed my nomination to contest as Samajwadi candidate, but will form a new party after March 11," Shivpal, who has filed his nomination papers from Jaswantnagar constituency, said while addressing party workers in the state's Etawah district.
Shivpal added that he "will not tolerate any insult to Netaji (Mulayam Singh)" and that he would support and obey Mulayam "for as long as I live." Mulayam has already made it clear that he does not support the alliance between the Samajwadi Party and the Congress and, therefore, would not campaign during the state elections.
Shivpal had, earlier in the day, said that the decision of an alliance with the Congress would be taken after the Assembly elections.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh had addressed their first joint press conference and road show in Lucknow on January 29. Gandhi also said that he shared a "personal and political relationship" with Akhilesh and that both parties forming an alliance was similar to the "meeting of the Ganga and Yamuna at the Sangam."
Akhilesh had also said that they were "two wheels of the cycle."
The Congress will be contesting for 105 of the 403 assembly seats, while the Samajwadi Party will contest elections for the remaining 298 seats.
Uttar Pradesh will vote in seven phases between February 11 and March 8.
