"If The Party Wants...": Akhilesh Yadav To NDTV On Contesting UP Election

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the same thing to NDTV last month as well - that he would contest the election "if the party wants"

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav told NDTV Friday that he remained open to contesting the 2022 UP Assembly election - after having told news agency PTI last month that he would not.

Mr Yadav - whose 'rainbow' alliance of regional parties is emerging as a serious challenge to the BJP's re-election hopes - said a decision on him standing for election would be taken by his party.

"If the party wants, I will contest the election. I had said earlier too that if the party decides, I will contest the election in 2022," Mr Yadav told NDTV during the final stage of his Samajwadi Vijay yatra.

"I am currently a Lok Sabha MP from Azamgarh... I will decide after asking the people there."