SP crisis deepens; Akhilesh releases parallel list of 235 candidates for UP polls

Lucknow (UP)[India], Dec. 30 (ANI): The crisis within the ruling Samajwadi Party seems to have deepened in Uttar Pradesh as Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav yesterday released a list of 235 candidates out of the total 403 seats for upcoming state assembly elections, a day after his father and party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav had released the official list. Some pro-Akhilesh MLAs had earlier said the unhappy chief minister was likely to release a parallel list of candidates for state assembly elections slated for early 2017. Earlier in the day, intense political activities continued at Samajwadi Party Headquarters and at official residence of the Chief Minister in Lucknow. Akhilesh met Mulayam Singh, but as per sources the party chief refused to make any change in the list of 325 candidates issued by him on Wednesday. "We have declared list of 325 candidates for the 2017 assembly polls. 78 seats still remain. Name of candidates for rest of the 78 seats will be announced soon," Mulayam said while announcing the list. The Samajwadi Party boss announced the first list in the absence of his son, who is at loggerheads with his uncle and bete noire Shivpal Yadav over distribution of tickets. Mulayam announced the name of his brother Shivpal from Jaswant Nagar Assembly seat. Akhilesh's name did not figure in the first list. Mulayam, however, said that his son being the Chief Minister can contest from any assembly seat he wishes to. (ANI)