No truce in Samajwadi Party? Mulayam, Amar Singh to meet EC tomorrow to stake claim on 'cycle'

SP patriarch Mulayam Singh and Shivpal Yadav are in New Delhi as they prepare to present their case before the Election Commission to stake claim on the party's poll symbol.

New Delhi: It seems like all attempts for a peace deal between the warring factions of the Samajwadi Party – headed by Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav are almost over as 'Netaji' Mulayam along with brother Shivpal Yadav reached the national capital to stake a claim on party's poll symbol.

The two leaders will hold consultations before they go to the Election Commission on Monday to present their case.

Mulayam along with Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh will meet the Election Commission officials tomorrow in order to prove their majority to claim the official party symbol — "cycle".

Earlier today, Mulayam Singh stormed the party headquarters in Lucknow and sat on the national president’s officer for nearly 10 minutes before leaving for Delhi to meet Election Commission.

Mulayam Singh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav leave for Delhi pic.twitter.com/PV3NoMztM1

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 8, 2017

Mulayam reached the party office with his brother Shivpal Yadav before both left for the airport.

Surprisingly, when asked if a compromise has been reached between the warring faction, each being led by Mulayam and his son Akhilesh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party veteran leader said that there was no feud in the party.

Party ke andar koi vivaad nahi hai toh samjhauta kaisa?: Mulayam Singh Yadav in Lucknow #SPfeud pic.twitter.com/XPspYZAR0B — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 8, 2017

"There is no feud in the party, so the question of compromise does not arise," Mulayam said before getting in the car.

The Election Commission had asked both camps of the Samajwadi Party led by Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav respectively to prove their majority for claiming the party and the iconic ‘cycle’ symbol by January 9th.

However, the Akhilesh Yadav-led camp had claimed that some 212 part MLA’s had already signed an affidavit and presented it to the Election Commission.

Yesterday, the Akhilesh Akhilesh Yadav faction met the Election Commissioner Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi.

Akhilesh Yadav camp was represented by Ram Gopal Yadav, Surendra Nagar and Sunil Sajan at the Election Commission. They submitted an affidavit mentioning the Samajwadi Party leaders supporting Akhilesh Yadav faction.

However, the number of signatories to the affidavit submitted to the poll panel was not known.

In Lucknow, hectic parleys were held in both the camps. The Mulayam Singh supporters went into a huddle on Saturday after Shivpal met Akhilesh on Friday night.

According to IANS sources, both factions — led by Mulayam and his son Akhilesh will now contest the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections on different party symbols, irrespective of who gets the official party symbol.

The assembly elections in the most populous and politically significant state in India will be held in seven phases between 11 February and 8 March.

On Saturday, senior SP leaders including Shivpal Singh Yadav, Azam Khan, Om Prakash Singh and Narad Rai met Mulayam Singh and held discussions on the possible way out of the infighting.

The sources privy to the confabulations told IANS that while both Shivpal and Mulayam Singh's aide Amar Singh told the party chief that they were "ready to be the sacrificial lambs" if it brought the warring father-son together, the truce offer was turned down by Mulayam himself.

Mulayam Singh apparently pressed for a demand that Akhilesh first steps down as the party national president, a post that was held by him for a decade. Apparently, the SP patriarch said that he Akhilesh obliged to his demand of stepping down from the "key post", his request of larger say in party's ticket distribution for the upcoming polls will be considered. 

However, the Akhilesh camp has reportedly declined Netaji's offer. 

The months-long feud within Samajwadi party’s Yadav family had hit a high note when last week Mulayam Singh Yadav expelled his son and state Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav from the party.

(With agency inputs)