Akhilesh Yadav (File photo)

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said on Thursday that his wife Dimple , the sitting Lok Sabha MP from Kannauj, will not contest the 2019 general elections and attributed the decision to his bid to counter allegations of pariwarvad (nepotism) against his party. He also dared BJP to initiate similar steps in the party.

Akhilesh announced that he would himself contest from Kannauj while party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav would again fight from Mainpuri. In 2014, Mulayam had contested from Mainpuri and Azamgarh parliamentary constituencies. After winning both seats, he vacated Mainpuri after which his grand newphew Tej Pratap Yadav won the seat in bypoll.

The move comes in the backdrop of allegations that SP was all about one family - the Yadav clan from Saifai in Etawah. Till recently, at least 12 family members and close relatives of SP patriarch Mulayam were representing the party in Parliament, state assembly, zila panchayat and co-operatives.

While Mulayam, his daughter-in-law Dimple, nephew Dharmendra and grand nephew Tej Pratap are members of Lok Sabha, son Akhilesh was UP chief minister. Mulayam's younger brother Shivpal, a sitting UP MLA, was one of the most powerful ministers in Akhilesh cabinet.

‘Now BJP should also end growing nepotism within’

Mulayam’s cousin Ram Gopal Yadav represents the party in Rajya Sabha. “My wife Dimple who is MP from Kannauj will not contest elections now and I would like to contest from her seat in 2019 polls. This is our first step to end allegations of pariwarwad in my party. Now BJP should also end growing nepotism within,” he said on Thursday while his wife Dimple stood besides him. “If BJP fails to end nepotism then it shouldn’t target us,” he added. Akhilesh had earlier too dropped broad hints that he might contest 2019 polls from Kannauj.

Senior party leaders said the decision of the party chief will have a far reaching impact as other leaders too will now not be able to seek tickets for their family members in coming and future elections.

Akhilesh’s announcement comes a fortnight after BSP supremo Mayawati announced that her brother Anand Kumar has stepped down as party’s national vice-president and that no family members of senior leaders would hold any important post in the party.



In Video: My wife Dimple won’t contest polls, no pariwarwad in my party: Akhilesh Yadav