Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath along with Mulayam Singh Yadav’s son Prateek and his wife Aparna at Kanha Upvan in Lucknow. (Express Archive)

Aparna Yadav, wife of Mulayam Singh Yadav’s younger son Prateek, is all praise for Yogi Adityanath and suggests Akhilesh Yadav should give back the president post of Samajwadi Party to Mulayam Singh Yadav. Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections this year, Akhilesh had replaced his father Mulayam as SP president, promising he would give back the post to Mulayam if he failed to win in the polls.

In an interview with Hindi news website DainikBhaskar.com, Aparna compared regional parties with “Hitler”, saying only one person calls the shots in regional parties. In contrast, she said, the present Yogi Adityanath government is not a “one-man show.” “They (Yogi government) take any decision only after consultations with three-four people, while one person takes all decisions or issues orders in regional parties.”

A split in Samajwadi Party has become certain with Shivpal Yadav announcing last week the launch of his own political front, ‘Samajwadi Secular Morcha’ with Mulayam as its chief. Shivpal took this decision after accusing nephew and former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh yadav of not handing over the reins of Samajwadi Party to Mulayam as promised before the polls. Samajwadi Party led by Akhilesh had received a drubbing at the hands of BJP in the Assembly elections 2017.

Talking to the news site, Aparna said, “Akhilesh Bhaiya is known for keeping his promise. I think, he has done everything he has said so far. He fulfills his promises… he should give the SP president post to Netaji (Mulayam).”

Commenting on Yogi government’s performance so far, Aparna said Yogi Adityanath has been a five-time MP and established his political hold in the state and now the CM. “So, we should respect him. His government is doing good work. Nothing has been done so far to show that the present government is doing bad work.”