No dispute with Akhilesh Yadav; EC will decide on 'Cycle', says Mulayam after meeting EC

Mulayam Singh Yadav said he had no dispute with Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav.

New Delhi: Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday met Election Commission to stake claim on election party symbol 'cycle' and said he had no dispute with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

Flanked with brother Shivpal Yadav and close confidante Amar Singh, the SP patriarch met EC today afternoon.

Briefing the press, Mulayam said he had no dispute with Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav.

"There's no dispute between me and son and the fight with him is over a very small issue. The matter will be sorted out soon," Mulayam asserted.

"There are some who have influenced my son (Akhilesh). I had a talk with him last night and also in the morning with him over the issue. There is no dispute between my son and me," he said.

However, in an apparent reference to his cousin brother Ram Gopal Yadav, the SP founder said Akhilesh was being misguided by one person.

The SP stalwart admitted to some differences cropping within the ruling party.

On the issue of election symbol, Mulayam said the EC will have a final say.

Mulayam sounded confident of sorting out the issue with son Akhilesh after reaching Lucknow.

The powerful Yadav family has been entangled in a bitter fight over the command over SP, with Mulayam, Shivpal and Amar Singh on one side, while the other faction comprising of Akhilesh and Ram Gopal.

On January 1, the Akhilesh faction had dislodged Mulayam as the party president and designated the former Defence Minister as a "marg darshak" (mentor).

Since then, both factions of the Samajwadi Party have approached the Election Commission to claim the election symbol "cycle" ahead of assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Eralier, Rajya Sabha member Ram Gopal Yadav, who is mentoring the Akhilesh Yadav camp, has sent sworn affidavits of some 5,761 Samajwadi Party leaders, including MLAs and MPs, to the Election Commission.

An embattled SP patriarch Mulayam on Sunday asserted he continued to be the party's president and questioned the legality of the convention called by son Akhilesh Yadav camp which declared the UP CM as the new party chief.

Mulayam's remarks came a day before he visits Election Commission where he is set to question the authenticity of documents submitted by Akhilesh Yadav faction yesterday claiming support of a majority of MPs, MLAs, MLCs and party delegates.