In politics, especially in Uttar Pradesh, things remain more the same as they seem to change.
This was proved once again as ruling Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav on Wednesday announced a list of 325 contestants for as many Assembly seats for the 2017 election. Coming after the goings-on in the ruling Samajwadi Party over the last one year, the announcement is more of an assertion by the old guard than a reflection of change that was much bandied about when Akhilesh Yadav was made the chief minister in 2012.
Mulayam’s announcement came two days after Akhilesh unilaterally submitted a list of names for all the 403 Assembly seats to his father. Before that, state party president and axed minister Shivpal Yadav has released a list containing 175 names, amid frequent changes and amendments. While Shivpal sat beside Mulayam, Akhilesh was away to Jhansi on an official tour. Now that Mulayam has released the list, it can be expected that it will be an official Samajwadi Party document, although further changes cannot be fully ruled out. For the moment, though, the list clearly indicates that the party would rather trust the old guard and go by its pre-Akhilesh moorings.
