Samajwadi Party feud will benefit BJP in UP polls, says Rita Bahuguna Joshi

She pointed out that SP's policy to give tickets to goons and mafias has dampened Akhilesh's efforts to reform the party's image

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Saturday said the Yadav family feud within the Samajwadi Party (SP) would be beneficial for the former in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh polls because the party is currently in power at the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a clean image among the people.

"In the upcoming days, SP would become even worse, which will only give benefit to BJP because people are looking for better prospects and banking on national parties. Among the national parties if you look at the Congress , it is losing its foothold in UP, however, BJP is currently ruling and the Prime Minster has a good image and we have well-established Ministers in UP as well. That is why it is highly possible for BJP to form the majority in the state," Joshi told ANI.

Bahuguna also pointed out that SP's policy to give tickets to goons and mafias has dampened Akhilesh's efforts to reform the party's image, and hence, the BJP would seek to capitalise on it.

The feud in the family came out in the open when SP supremo Mulayam Singh appointed his brother Shivpal as the state party chief.

As a consequence, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav withdrew the portfolios of public works, irrigation and two other portfolios from Shivpal and allotted them to other ministers.

Disagreements between Akhilesh and his uncle have been reported on several occasions, including on the choice of official to be appointed as the state's chief secretary after Alok Ranjan's term ended.

Mulayam Singh's silence on the prospects of Akhilesh being re-nominated as the party's face for chief minister has further added fuel to the fire.

However, Mulayam defended Shivpal and warned that the party would be in major trouble if Shivpal resigned. While in mid-September, Akhilesh said at a function that he has rejected Shivpal's resignation and would comply with whatever his father directs.

On Friday, Akhilesh skipped an important meeting called by his uncle and SP president Shivpal Yadav to formalise strategies for polls next year.

Akhilesh, however, met the members separately at his residence after their meeting ended with Shivpal on Friday at the party headquarters.