Lucknow: Disgruntled Samajwadi Party politician Shivpal Yadav on Wednesday formed the Samajwadi Secular Morcha "to unite secular political leaders feeling ostracised in their parties" but clarified it wasn't a new political party.

A day earlier, Shivpal and Rajya Sabha member Amar Singh had met and praised each other, and Amar had later told reporters he would like to campaign for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Shivpal had been removed from all party posts and Amar suspended from the organisation in January last year at a convention where Akhilesh Yadav replaced father Mulayam Singh Yadav as national president of the party.

Political circles have been speculating about Shivpal getting closer to the BJP with the sole aim of damaging nephew Akhilesh's prospects, particularly his plan to form a "secular alliance" with the Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal.

Shivpal told reporters his Morcha had no plans to contest elections. "I'm still a member of the Samajwadi Party, but nobody invites me to party meetings," he rued.

"So I felt the need for a front where all those sidelined in the Samajwadi Party and other parties would be welcome. My front will unite the secular forces."

Amar, who has been saying for sometime that he would happily work for Modi, was not at Shivpal's news conference. Nor did Shivpal mention him.

Shivpal said: "I'm also with Netaji (Mulayam) and want to warn those who have stopped respecting him to mend their ways."

Mulayam had said two days ago at the birthday celebrations of Samajwadi veteran Bhagwati Singh that he felt everyone had forgotten him.

"Nobody respects or cares about me these days. Maybe people will respect me after I'm dead," the 78-year-old party patron had said.

This was largely seen as an emotional outburst after his alleged "secret wish" of piggybacking on BJP support to become President came to nought last year.

Shivpal is entirely dependent on Mulayam for any political move. Despite being in the party since its formation in 1992 and holding many key party and government posts, he has failed to create a support base for himself. Akhilesh, who was chief minister from 2012 to 2017, had therefore easily sidelined him.

When reporters asked Akhilesh whether his uncle's new front would not damage the party, he said the party would "grow in any situation".

Akhilesh accused the BJP of trying to hurt secular parties. "We will witness many such happenings in the state before the Lok Sabha elections," he said.

"But our party supporters shouldn't pay any attention to the BJP's efforts to distract them from preparing for the elections."

He added: "My supporters have started travelling across the state on bicycles (the Samajwadi election symbol) to campaign for the party. I too will start campaigning on a bicycle from September 16."