New Delhi/Lucknow: Even as the battle over “cycle” raged all day long in Delhi on Monday, with both Mulayam and Akhilesh factions of the Samajwadi Party landing at the Election Commission to stake their claim and dismiss the other’s, in the evening Mulayam Singh Yadav took a U-turn on returning to Lucknow, saying that Akhilesh Yadav would again be the chief minister if the party came to power after elections.
This is the first time Mulayam Singh Yadav has declared his son the party’s chief ministerial candidate. And he did so hours after telling the EC in Delhi that he, Mulayam, was “still the national president of the SP” and the convention called by the Akhilesh camp on January 1 was “unconstitutional”, maintaining all the while that the “cycle” symbol must remain with him.
On the last day to present their cases before the poll body, the SP patriarch also alleged that the affidavits submitted by the Akhilesh faction were “forged.”
In the evening, however, Mulayam Singh Yadav, while talking to a news agency in Lucknow, said that there was no dispute in the party and that there was no question of any split either.
Despite requests, he refused to answer any question regarding the status of their case before the EC or whether he would withdraw his petition. But his statement indicates that the warring factions may again be inching towards a patch-up.
Earlier in the day, in Delhi, he maintained that while he had “no rift” with his son and UP chief minister, he held his cousin, Ram Gopal Yadav, responsible for the ongoing feud in the organisation.
“Mai Samajwadi Party ka rashtriya adhyaksh hoon aur Akhilesh Yadav Uttar Pradesh ke mukhyamantri hain,” he said.
The SP supremo on Monday also wrote to Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari, informing him about the expulsion of Ram Gopal Yadav from the party and as leader of the party in the Upper House. He urged Mr Ansari to shift Ram Gopal to the back benches following the expulsion.
Ram Gopal Yadav occupies one of the front benches near BSP supremo Mayawati’s seat. “Chairman Rajya Sabha has received a letter intimating expulsion of Ram Gopal Yadav from SP — will be duly examined,” OSD to the Rajya Sabha chairman Gurdeep Singh Sappal tweeted.
Earlier in the day in Delhi, Mulayam Singh Yadav, emerging after an hour-long meeting with the EC, said: “I have no problems with Akhilesh. Whatever little differences are there it is between a father and a son.” Pointing accusing finger at Ram Gopal Yadav, he said: “One person is influencing my son and he is responsible for the problems in the party”.
During the meeting, the SP supremo also pointed out that while there was a resolution to appoint Akhilesh as the national president, there was “no resolution” to remove him from the post either.
Both Shivpal Yadav and Amar Singh accompanied him to the EC. There was no word from chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on the developments.
Ram Gopal Yadav refused to comment on Netaji’s remarks, but said that he has urged the EC to take a quick decision as the election process in UP starts from January 17.
