Samajwadi Party calls off Qaumi Ekta Dal merger
The Samajwadi Party on Saturday called off its merger with gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari-led Qaumi Ekta Dal. This comes after Uttar Pradesh CM and SP leader Akhilesh Yadav publicly said, "Ansari will not be welcome in the party." The merger was announced on June 21 as the SP felt this would "strengthen the party" ahead of the 2017 assembly polls.