Even as the Election Commission is considering which Samajwadi Party faction should be given the “cycle” symbol, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday claimed he had the support of the majority of the SP’s legislators, who signed a document here affirming him as their leader.
More than 210 of the SP’s 229 MLAs (in the 403-member Assembly) and around 60 MLCs attended a meeting convened by the CM at his official residence here in a bid to demonstrate his strength before the EC.
Most of those present endorsed the affidavit supporting the CM, sources said. The document would be submitted to the EC, where Mr. Akhilesh and his father Mulayam Singh have staked claim over the party symbol.
The CM assured his loyalists and party legislators that eventually the faction led by him would win the symbol. The CM also told his candidates to start campaigning in their constituencies.
‘Begin poll campaign’
A Cabinet Minister from Purvanchal who signed the affidavit said the CM instructed the legislators and candidates to “start working strongly” in their area while assuring them of a safe future.
“We signed the affidavit saying that we accept him as the national president. He said we will get the symbol of the party. Even the Supreme Court has said that the faction that controls the legislature will get the symbol,” the Minister told The Hindu .
During the meeting, which went on for more than three hours, sources said, Mr. Akhilesh was confronted with queries by legislators anxious about the fate of the symbol and party.
“The matter is in the EC. Both sides want the symbol. But you leave it to us and focus on forming our government, he told us,” said senior minister Paras Nath Yadav.
MLA Irfan Solanki from Kanpur affirmed his support to the CM. “We told him, we were with you, are with you and will continue to be with you,” Mr. Solanki said.
The Yadav scion’s show of strength came on a day when his father Mulayam together with brother Shivpal Yadav flew to Delhi to apparently stake claim to the party symbol by submitting a list of supporters to the EC. There was no confirmation till evening if Mr. Mulayam Singh contacted the EC or the number of signatures he had, though sources said he had little support.
Mr. Mulayam and Mr. Shivpal returned to Lucknow on Thursday evening. Moments after that senior Minister Azam Khan, who had been holding parleys in the State capital with leaders from both camps, called on Mr. Akhilesh at his official residence. As speculation of a truce mounted, there were however, no signs or official announcement.
With the party virtually in his control, Mr. Akhilesh, as national president, on Thursday ordered the dissolution of seven district committees and named new presidents. These districts are Mainpur, Moradabad, Fatehpur, Etawah, Farukkhabad, Hardoi and Firozabad. The leaders had been suspended by his uncle Shivpal. The new office-bearers have been instructed to form new committees within seven days. Late on Wednesday, Mr. Akhilesh also took back four leaders from Deoria, Kushinagar, Azamgarh and Mirzapur who had been suspended by Mr. Shivpal. The leaders have been instructed to continue functioning in their previous roles and prepare for elections, new State president Naresh Uttam Patel informed.
Campaign plans hit
Meanwhile, the handful of legislators still in the Mulayam-Shivpal camp are in a fix as they are unsure about the fate of the symbol and how they would reach out to the people for votes. MLA from Sitapur, Rampal Yadav, who was expelled by Mr. Akhilesh but reinstated by Mr. Shivpal recently, did not attend the meeting called by the CM.
He said the lack of clarity has hit his campaign plans. “How can we start a full-fledged campaign without the symbol?” he asked. On what he thought about the future of the SP, the legislator put the onus on Mr. Akhilesh.
“Netaji wants a compromise, so does Azam Khan. But the person who wants to be CM, if he wants, then there will be a compromise. But there is little hope at this moment.”
Meanwhile, MLA from Mohamadabad, Sibgatullah Ansari, brother of Mukhtar Ansari, also individually called upon the CM here, after the meeting held in the morning.
