Amid strains with Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav vows to `tighten screw and use hammer` effectively

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who is at loggerheads with his father and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, on Wednesday indicated that he was not too inclined towards a patch-up.

Speaking at UP Pravasi Diwas here after an announcement of the election schedule, Akhilesh said: "We are going to polls... Will return again."

"Kahan nut-bolt lagana hai, kahan hathura isteymal karna hai, sahi sey karengey. (Where to tighten screw and where to use hammer, we will do it effectively)," Akhilesh added.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has initiated the process for the two warring factions of the Samajwadi Party - one led by Mulayam and the other by Akhilesh - to prove their majority for getting the party symbol 'cycle'. In the 404-member UP Assembly, SP has 229 MLAs.

The EC has asked both factions to show the strength of MLAs, MPs, and MLCs supporting them through signed affidavits.

Gearing up for a show of strength, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today left for Delhi to furnish details of support to the EC for retaining the 'cycle' symbol while the faction led by his son Akhilesh met loyalists to collect signed affidavits to be presented to the poll body.

While sources in the Mulayam camp said the party supremo was armed with signed affidavits of MLAs, MLCs, and MPs which he would furnish to the EC, the number of the signed affidavits with him was not immediately clear.

Mulayam was accompanied by Shivpal Yadav, who was "removed" from the post of state SP chief at the party's disputed national convention where Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was crowned as SP president replacing his father.

(With PTI inputs)