Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati shared a common platform on Friday for the first time in 13 years triggering speculation over their future moves ahead of the scheduled general elections next year.
The occasion, which brought Yadav, a former chief minister, and the Bahujan Samaj Party supremo together was a meeting convened to finalise nominees for the State Human Rights Commission.
The arch rivals had parted ways following the collapse of their coalition government in 1995 and have been bitter critics attacking each other and rarely acknowledging even the presence of the other at public functions.
Much to the surprise of media and senior officials, Yadav reached Maywati's Kalidas Marg residence on Friday morning in his capacity as the leader of Opposition, who also happens to be a member of the selection committee for the SHRC. The chief minister heads the selection committee.
Sources said this is for the first time Yadav was visiting Mayawati's residence since 1995.
Assembly Speaker Sukhdeo Rajbhar, Chairman of Vidhan Parishad Sukhram Singh Yadav and Samajwadi Party leader Ahmad Hasan are among other members of the committee.
The meeting lasted for more than 40 minutes.
The recent weeks have seen the Samajwadi party cosying up to the Congress with Yadav targetting Mayawati calling her "ungrateful" for attacking the Centre. Samajwadi leader Amar Singh also attended a dinner organised in connection with the fourth anniversary of the Congress-led UPA government.
