'Our party's ideology is spreading': SP chief Akhilesh's tongue-in-cheek retort as Aparna Yadav joins BJP

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 19 (ANI): Hours after Aparna Yadav, daughter-in-law of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said that he is happy that his party's ideology is expanding.
"Firstly, I will congratulate her and I am happy that Samajwadi Party's ideology is expanding. I am sure our ideology will reach there and spread democracy. I hope she works for protecting democracy and the Constitution of India in BJP as well," Yadav quipped while addressing a press conference in Lucknow.
He said that his father the Samajwadi patriarch had tried to talk Aparna Yadav out of the decision."Netaji counselled her a lot," Akhilesh Yadav said.
On being asked whether SP had denied a ticket to Aparna Yadav for contesting in upcoming Uttar Pradesh polls, he said, "Tickets have not been distributed yet. Who will get the tickets? or who will not? will depend on the region, people and internal survey report."
Aparna Yadav contested the 2017 assembly elections from Lucknow Cantt seat and finished second. She was defeated by BJP's candidate Rita Bahuguna Joshi and secured about 63,000 votes. Aparna is the wife of Prateek Yadav, son of Mulayam Singh's second wife Sadhna Gupta.
She has in the past lauded some initiatives of the BJP government and also donated Rs 11 lakh to the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Meanwhile, on being asked about contesting the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections from Azamgarh, Akhilesh Yadav said, "Without getting the approval of people of Azamgarh, I am not going to fight election from Azamgarh."
The 403-member assembly of Uttar Pradesh will vote in all seven phases will polling to be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)