The war between the father and the son is set to turn uglier. After being 'ousted' as the president of the Samajwadi Party, a party he founded and nurtured over decades, Mulayam Singh Yadav met the Election Commission on Monday to lay claim over the party symbol — cycle.
Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav's side is expected to meet the poll panel on Tuesday with a similar demand over the party symbol.
This move means both sides are headed for a bitter separation and may contest against each other in the upcoming elections.
Experts feel that poll panel may decide to freeze the symbol as both sides have laid claim to it. “The cycle symbol will probably be frozen. Both factions will be given ad hoc names and symbols, as polls are close by,” former chief election commissioner SY Qureshi said on Monday.
Mulayam was accompanied by his younger brother Shivpal Yadav and Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh, who are cited by the Akhilesh camp as the reason behind the current fued within the family. Yadav senior said he was fit and claimed he has never betrayed anyone.
On the other hand, Akhilesh's uncle Ramgopal Yadav and other MPs like Naresh Aggarwal will meet election commission to stake their claim. As Akhilesh has the support or over 90 percent of the MLAs, his claim over the party may be stronger.
The fight between the Yadav family would deeply impact the election scenario in the state. Akhilesh has been open to alliance with other parties like the Congress to fight back the anti-incumbency. BJP is presenting itself as the only alternative in the state that can give clean governance.
BSP supremo Mayawati, on the other hand, is trying to gain the support of the muslims in case they get disenchanted with the divided SP family.
