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Mulayam Singh Yadav, in an exclusive interview with ANI said that the rumours of the Samajwadi Party splitting are untrue.
He said that the party is united and they will begin campaigning shortly, for the party’s unity and the upcoming UP polls.
Yadav also spoke about who will be thier chief ministerial candidate and he backed his son for the position, for a second term.
After his meeting with the Election Commission, Mulayam Singh Yadav told reporters that there were some issues within the party, and one person is behind the feud. But he said he's confident all issues will be resolved.
He said the fate of the party’s symbol is up to the EC.
The Rajya Sabha chairman in the meantime, has received a letter from Mulayam, intimating the expulsion of his cousin, Ramgopal Yadav from the party.
Ram Gopal, however, refused to respond to any comments made by Mulayam.
Mulayam Singh Yadav, Amar Singh and Shivpal Singh Yadav reach Election Commission in New Delhi.
A delegation led by UP CM Akhilesh Yadav will meet Election Commission at 2:30 PM today.
Shivpal Yadav arrives at Mulayam Singh Yadav’s residence in New Delhi.
The Samajwadi Party supremo is expected to approach the Election Commission today, asking them to verify the papers submitted by the Akhilesh camp containing 212 signatures of party MLAs to prove his claim over the SP cycle symbol.
In the midst of this tussle, party leader Naresh Agarwal commented on Amar Singh saying, “Jinko expertise hai party aur parivar todne me unke baare me hum kya kahen (those who are experts at breaking the party and the family, what can I say about them.)”
Questioning the legality of the convention which ousted him as president and appointed his son Akhilesh in his place, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday asserted he was still the party chief.
He claimed the special national convention called by his cousin Ramgopal Yadav on 1 January in Lucknow was "illegal" as he as party president had already expelled him from the party on 30 December.
Former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and Congress veteran, ND Tiwari in a letter sent to Mulayam has urged him to hand over the reins of the Samajwadi Party to his son, Akhilesh.
Samajwadi Party MP Amar Singh alleges that the signatures garnered by the Akhilesh camp have been forged.
Commenting on Ram Gopal Yadav’s meeting with the Election Commission, Singh says he wasn’t convinced about the authenticity of the signatures. Akhilesh claims to have gathered 212 signatures of party MLAs to prove his claim over the SP cycle symbol.
Mulayam’s brother, Abhay Ram Yadav has blamed Ram Gopal for the infighting within the party.
Amid the ongoing power tussle in the ruling family of Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam says there is "no dispute" in the party.
"Hamari party me koi vivad nahi hai (There is no dispute in our party)” he says to party workers at the headquarters in Lucknow.
Agency reports suggest Mulayam will approach the Election Commission on Monday to seek that the EC verify the papers submitted by Ram Gopal.
Earlier, in a bid to buttress its claim over the cycle symbol to contest the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections beginning next month, the Akhilesh Yadav camp on Saturday submitted to the Election Commission affidavits signed by party legislators and office bearers.
He claimed that out of 229 MLAs, 212 signed affidavit. 56 out of 68 MLCs, 15 out of 24 MPs have signed the affidavit.
BSP supremo Mayawati urges the voters in Uttar Pradesh to not help the BJP’s agenda by splitting their votes between the two warring Yadav factions.
Earlier, Mayawati in a similar appeal, had asked Muslim voters to be extra cautious in the coming assembly elections and not waste their vote on the Samajwadi Party.
According to a report by NewsX, the Home Ministry has conferred Amar Singh with Z security.
Amar Singh is being seen as the source of the rift in the Yadav clan and sources privy to the developments have not ruled out the possibility of the Rajya Sabha MP’s resignation.
Another possibility could be Shivpal’s resignation from the post of state SP chief, a charge held by the chief minister before the family feud broke out.
In a move that is not expected to go down well with the Akhilesh camp, the nameplates of Mulayam Singh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav have been restored at Samajwadi Party Headquarters.
Latest reports add that the office has now been locked to prevent further controversy.
(With media, agency inputs.)
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Published: 08 Jan 2017,02:10 PM IST