Don't Trust Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav "Cautioned" By Uncle Shivpal Yadav

After tying up with former bitter rival Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav has received advice - unsolicited - from his rebel uncle Shivpal Yadav, who warned him against trusting the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief.

Shivpal Yadav referred to what is generally known as the "Lucknow guest house incident" and urged his nephew to be wary of Mayawati, who had then fired allegations against Samajwadi party leaders including him.

In 1995, Mayawati was heckled and pushed by Samajwadi Party workers at a guest house in the Uttar Pradesh capital after she pulled out of the  two-year-old coalition government with the Samajwadi, then led by Akhilesh Yadav's father Mulayam Singh Yadav. Mayawati later formed a government with the BJP's support.

Addressing a rally in the Samajwadi stronghold Chandoli in UP, Shivpal Yadav - the younger brother of Mulayam Singh -- said Mayawati had then accused him of sexual harassment.

"Behenji (Mayawati) had levelled allegations of sexual harassment against me. I had said at the time that I am ready for an inquiry, I am ready for a narco test. But I wanted that Mayawati should also have a narco test done. She refused," Shivpal Yadav said.

"You can't trust people who sell tickets. Who used to abuse Netaji (Mulayam Singh)? She used to call them 'gunde (hoodlums)'. Today they have come together. Can she be trusted? She won't win many seats," said the Samajwadi rebel.

On Saturday, as Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav announced an alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the national election due by May, the BSP chief said she had decided to rise above the guest house incident "for the sake of the nation".

The SP and the BSP will contest on 38 seats each, while they will not field their candidate against Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Amethi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareli. They have also kept two seats for the smaller parties.

Shivpal Yadav, who was a powerful minister in Akhilesh Yadav's government, quit the Samajwadi Party in September over a persistent feud with his nephew and floated his own party.