Cycle goes to Akhilesh, father remains spoke

Party and was entitled to use its name and symbol.

The verdict was based on the test of majority in which the numbers were clearly stacked in favour of the Akhilesh camp. The UP Chief Minister had the support of 205 of the 228 SP MLAS, 56 of 68 MLCS, 15 of 24 MPS, 28 of 46 national executive members and 4,716 of 5,731 party delegates.

In first remarks, Akhilesh took to Twitter to say “cycle chalti jayegi... aage badhti jayegi”. He also tweeted a photograph in which he is speaking to his father.

The Congress, which congratulated the Chief Minister soon after the Election Commission announced its decision, indicated that the announcement of a pre-poll alliance with Akhilesh was “imminent”. Sheila Dikshit, the Congress chief ministerial face in UP, said a decision was expected in the “new two-three days”.

“We congratulate Akhilesh for being awarded the cycle symbol. It was richly deserved by him. We would also like to thank the Election Commission for coming with such a judicious decision. Akhilesh deserves to keep the poll symbol of the Samajwadi Party because he controls 99 per cent of the party as well as the legislature party... he deserves it and he worked hard for it,” Congress spokesperson R P N Singh told The Indian Express.

Resigned to the split in the party, Mulayam said he was “helpless” in preventing it. “I always advocated the interest of Muslims. When I ensured appointment of a Muslim as the state Director General of Police (DGP), Akhilesh did not talk to me for 15 days. He did not want any Muslim on this post. It sent out an anti-muslim message,” he alleged.

The SP founder alleged that Akhilesh had a “negative approach” towards Muslims and that he was playing into the hands of Ram Gopal Yadav who, he claimed, was working “on directions of BJP”.

“Akhilesh is acting at the behest of Ram Gopal. If he does not listen, I will fight against him,” he said, adding Ram Gopal had been giving instructions to Akhilesh from Delhi over phone. Mulayam’s cousin and Rajya Sabha MP Ram Gopal Yadav has stood by Akhilesh in the fight for control over the party.

“I will live for Muslims and die for them. If it comes to Muslims’ interest, I will also fight against him (Akhilesh),” he said. Mulayam currently represents Azamgarh in the Lok Sabha.

“Don’t you know how I took a stand to prevent the demolition of Babri Masjid? We were in crisis then too,” Mulayam told a crowd of party workers, most of them Muslims.

He said he was trying his best to save the party and slammed Akhilesh for “not understanding things”.

Upset by the remarks, supporters of the Chief Minister put up a nameplate at the Samajwadi Party headquarters that read “Akhilesh Yadav, National President”. It was placed beneath the nameplate of Mulayam Singh.