Samajwadi Party talks fail, EC to hear case January 13

New Delhi/Lucknow: The Election Commission (EC) fixed January 13 as the date of hearing for both warring factions of the Samajwadi Party, which have laid claim to the party symbol “cycle” even as a meeting between father Mulayam Singh Yadav and son Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow failed to throw up any patch-up formula.

On January 13, both sides, which have already submitted documents in support of their claim to the party symbol, will get to present their final side following which the EC will take a decision in the matter. The EC can either freeze the symbol or allocate it to any side, which it thinks has been able to muster the maximum support in the party.

In Lucknow, SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and his Uttar Pradesh chief minister son Akhilesh Yadav made a renewed effort to mend bridges during a 90-minute meeting at the former’s residence. The meeting, sources said, remained inconclusive.

Mulayam Singh Yadav had, on Monday night, announced that Akhilesh Yadav would be the chief minister if the party were voted to power.  

However, the meeting on Tuesday failed to break the deadlock as sources said that Akhilesh Yadav was unwilling to give up the post of national president of the party which he had assumed in a national convention called on January 1. His father, till then the party’s national president, has called the move illegal.

The UP CM also wants the right to ticket distribution. Other major issues, which remain   unresolved   after the meeting, are related to the future role of Ram Gopal Yadav, Amar Singh, Shivpal Yadav and the cross petitions filed by the warring factions before the EC. Mulayam Singh Yadav reportedly insisted on the removal of Ram Gopal Yadav, but Akhilesh refused to oblige. The father is also ag-ainst the CM’s move to remove Shivpal Yadav form the state president’s post and Amar Singh’s expulsion from the party. Another contentious issue is the possibility of an alliance with the Congress to which Mulayam Singh Yadav is strongly opposed, but Akh-ilesh Yadav is keen on it. Both parties are also unwilling to take back their petitions in the prevailing scenario.

“The main hurdle in resolving issues is mistrust between the two factions. Father and son are not willing to show the door to their respective supporters, and unless one side accepts the condition, no effort cannot bear fruit”, said an SP minister. Later, at his residence, the CM told legislators, who are supporting him, to return to their constituencies and start campaigning.

“I assure all of you that you will get tickets and I will campaign for you,” he said.