Much like his father Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav too does not see the writing on the wall. Apparently in complete denial mode to accept the visible reality of a Narendra Modi juggernaut invading Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh is still exuding confidence that the next government in New Delhi will be formed by none other than the third front.
Even in the event of inevitability of a Modi government , Akhilesh foresees no threat to his government , notwithstanding repeated veiled indications given by BJP pointsman Amit Shah about dislodging the two-year old SP government , which enjoys a clear majority to run full steam for the next three years.
Akhilesh refuses to believe that Shah, who is keeping a hawk’s eye on BJP’s affairs in the country’s most populous state, would even dare to attempt a coup on him. “Unki himmat hai ki ve hum logon se panga lenge ; kya unhe maloom nahin hai ki Mulayam Singh Yadav ke saath panga lene se unka kya hashar hoga” (Can he dare to take ‘panga’ with us ; don’t they know what would happen to them if they provoke a leader like Mulayam Singh Yadav?), Akhilesh told Outlook ion an exclusive interview.
In a scenario where everyone seems to believe that there is a Modi wave, where does the Samajwadi Party stand ?