Mulayam stakes claim to ‘cycle’ with poll panel

Mulayam reiterates claim, Akhilesh wants early solution to symbol dispute

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav (centre) and other party leaders Shivpal Yadav (left) and Amar Singh (right) arrive at the Election Commission of India's office in New Delhi on Monday.

Even as Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh on Monday reiterated his faction’s claim to the party symbol, the Akhilesh Yadav camp approached the Election Commission demanding that the dispute be decided before the nomination process for the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh starts on January 17.

Mr. Mulayam Singh, accompanied by Amar Singh and Shivpal Singh, visited the Election Commission to say that the convention called to elect Mr. Akhilesh the party’s national president was against the party constitution.

He said Ramgopal Yadav, at whose instance the meeting was called, had already been expelled and therefore, the meeting was not valid.

Also, the convention had passed no resolution to remove him as party chief.

The Samajwadi Party supremo, who has not yet filed any affidavits, requested the Commission to verify the affidavits submitted by the Akhilesh camp, alleging that they were forged.

“We will examine his representation and take a decision in due course,” said a Commission official. Besides, Mr. Mulayam Singh has written to the Rajya Sabha Chairman seeking de-recognition of Mr. Ramgopal as the party’s group leader, stating that he has been expelled from the party.

Soon after Mr. Mulayam Singh left the EC office, Mr. Ramgopal met the Commission officials to request that the issue of party symbol be resolved before the nomination process in the State started. He also submitted seven copies of the affidavits to lay claim to the symbol.

The Akhilesh camp has claimed that a majority of the party’s members and legislators are in support of the Chief Minister.