New nameplate with Mulayam Singh as Sanrakshak, old nameplate (right) with Yadav as national president
At about 7 pm on Saturday, a new nameplate was affixed at the Lucknow office of the ruling Samajwadi Party. It reads - Mulayam Singh Yadav,
Sanrakshak (Guardian). The new nameplate has been put up exactly in the
place of another that had for many years read - Mulayam Singh Yadav, National President.
Just below, is a plate that announces Mulayam Singh's son and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav as the party's National President. For about five days, the two name plates allotting father and son the same designation co-existed. Mulayam's always the one on top.
Akhilesh Yadav's nameplate was put up on Monday, hours before the
Election Commission acknowledged him as the party's president and granted him use of the cycle symbol of the Samajwadi Party, launched by his father 25 years ago. The Election Commission accepted Akhilesh Yadav's contention that now he and not Mulayam Singh commands majority support in the party.
It was on January 1 that Akhilesh Yadav was declared Samajwadi Party chief in place of his father by his supporters at a party meeting. Mulayam Singh was designated
Margdarshak or mentor and Akhilesh Yadav and his aides have consistently maintained that the founder of the party will always enjoy the highest honour and respect in the party, though in an advisory role now. That became official today.
After their bitter power tussle for months, Akhilesh Yadav is now attempting to reboot his relationship with his father and his new social media campaign pays tribute to the 77-year-old. Mulayam Singh gets top billing, with smaller real estate for 43-year-old Akhilesh Yadav, who is the party's face for the crucial Uttar Pradesh election. "
Saath rahein" (stay together), "
Aagey badein!" (let's move on), says the campaign.
Free at last from the family feud that occupied him for months, Akhilesh Yadav is now in overdrive, negotiating an alliance with the Congress and announcing names of candidates before he hits the campaign trail in pursuit of a second term.
UP will vote in seven phases starting February 11 and votes will be counted on March 11.