Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has skipped Samajwadi Party's first election rally in Ghazipur, a leading daily reported on Thursday. The rally was significant after the merger of Ansari brothersheaded erstwhile Quami Ekta Dal (QED) with SP. 

While, the Ghazipura rally saw the rise of Shivpal Yadav’s son, Aditya Yadav, as SP’s youth face. Aditya, who reached Ghazipur on Tuesday evening, was seen busy extending all help to his Shivpal to ensure success of the party’s first show in East UP after Shivpal’s elevation as state president. “He was very active in giving final shape to the party’s rally. He was presented a ‘Gada’ (mace) at the rally by party’s senior leaders,” a source in Ghazipur told the paper.

Aditya, chairman of the UP’s Pradeshik Cooperative Federation, also addressed the rally. “It was unforgettable moment for me. I delivered my first speech at such a big show in presence of Netaji (Mulayam Singh),” the paper quoted Aditya as saying. 

Eastern UP is considered to be the strong hold of the party, where SP has a representation of over 100 MLAs. Mulayam’s Ghazipur rally was politically significant in view of BJP’s ongoing efforts to expand its influence over OBC voters in this region.

Addressing the rally, SP chief Mulayam publicly defended his decision to allow the merger of QED and gave full credit to Shivpal for strengthening the party in East UP by this particular move. He also hoped the QED’s merger will benefit the SP in the polls.