Nameplate sporting Akhilesh as national president seen at SP headquarters

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Jan. 16 (ANI): In a development bound to boost the ongoing tussle of power between Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav to a whole new level, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's supporters on Monday placed a nameplate proclaiming him as the party's national president just below his father and party founder's nameplate with the same designation at the party office here. The recent development has not only added a state of confusion over the post but also indicated that the dismissed report of a rift between Mulayam and his son has actually turned bitterer. Akhilesh was declared the Samajwadi Party's national president at a convention held on January 1st, which was attended by the majority of Uttar Pradesh chief minister's loyalists as well as most MLAs and MLCs. However, Mulayam Singh had called the convention unconstitutional and refused to recognise his son as the president of the party. Meanwhile, the Election Commission pronounced its order regarding the Samajwadi Party factions i.e. of party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and the other of his son Akhilesh Yadav, staking claims over the party symbol 'cycle'. The cycle symbol was allotted to Akhilesh. Earlier, Ram Gopal submitted a dossier containing signed affidavits of support for the Akhilesh faction from party delegates, MPs, MLAs and MLCs. The Akhilesh camp urged the poll body to decide on the matter at the earliest. Nominations for the first phase of elections in Uttar Pradesh start in few days, but the Samajwadi Party is yet to finalise candidates, with both Mulayam and Akhilesh releasing separate lists. Elections will be held in seven phases in Uttar Pradesh starting February 11, and nominations for the first phase begin on January 17. Votes will be counted on March 11. (ANI)