NEW DELHI/LUCKNOW: The war within the ruling Samajwadi Party of Uttar Pradesh today moved from Lucknow to Delhi where Mulayam Singh Yadav approached the Election Commission to stake claim over the ‘cycle’ symbol, hours after cancelling the January 5 party convention called by him.
Mulayam’s son Akhilesh Yadav, the Chief Minister who deposed his father from the post of national party president, is likely to meet the full three-member Election Commission tomorrow with the same claim. In his absence, the rival camp could be represented by Ram Gopal Yadav.
The Election Commission sources said the poll body was unlikely to intervene till it hears the other side.
Mulayam reached Nirvachan Sadan here this evening along with his brother Shivpal Singh, his close confidante Amar Singh and former MP Jaya Prada to put forth his stand on the feud which has virtually split the party he had founded 25 years ago.
“I am still the president of Samajwadi Party and the decision of the rival camp to appoint Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav as the party chief is against party’s constitution,” Mulayam told the full Election Commission.
Claiming to have the backing of the SP Parliamentary Baord, he said the party symbol ‘cycle’ belongs to him as he is the party president, sources said.
Mulayam told the Commission that Ram Gopal Yadav, who had moved a resolution at emergency convention of SP in Lucknow on Friday last anointing Akhilesh as party president, had been expelled from the party and was not authorised to take any decision regarding SP, the sources said. (AGENCIES)
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