A poster tweeted by Akhilesh Yadav's close aide says 'cycle' will run with your (Mulayam Singh's) name.
What next for Mulayam Singh Yadav, the 77-year-old founder of the Samajwadi Party, is the most asked question since his son
Akhilesh Yadav was granted the "cycle" symbol and was recognised as the leader of the party by the Election Commission this evening. Cries of 'Jai Akhilesh' filled the air as workers celebrated outside the party's Lucknow office on Monday evening. In stark contrast, Mulayam Singh's home half a kilometre away was deserted and desolate. In his war with his son for control of the party that he founded 25 years ago, Mulayam Singh's claim was rejected by the poll panel.
As soon as the news came in, Akhilesh Yadav walked over to his father's home from his - the two are interconnected - to meet him. Party leaders and workers, while celebrating Akhilesh's win, have reiterated that they have boundless respect for Mulayam Singh and still hope for a reconciliation between father and son.
"We believe Netaji will continue to bless Akhileshji as he always has," said Pawan Pandey, UP minister and close aide of Akhilesh Yadav. Another close aide Sunil Yadav tweeted a poster that shows Akhilesh Yadav bowing to Mulayam Singh with hands folded. "Your cycle will forever run on your name," reads the poster.
Earlier today, Mulayam Singh said he was ready to fight his son after his attempts to stave off a split in the party failed. If he chooses to contest, he will have to pick a name and symbol for his party days before the UP elections, which will be held in multiple phases starting February 11. Nominations for the first phase begin tomorrow.
Just before Akhilesh walked over, Mulayam Singh's younger brother Shivpal Yadav met him for about five minutes and then drove away. They could meet later tonight again to plan next steps, sources said.
The
Election Commission said it based its order on the evidence of overwhelming support in the Samajwadi Party that Team Akhilesh provided. Akhilesh Yadav, who was declared party president at a meeting earlier this month in place of his father, has offered to return the post to Mulayam Singh after the UP elections are over. Till then he wants to ensure that his uncle Shivpal Yadav and politician Amar Singh, both key aides of Mulayam Singh, are kept away from crucial decision making.
After taking over as party president, Akhilesh had sacked his uncle from the post of UP chief and Amar Singh from the party. Mulayam Singh was appointed margdarshak or mentor.
As Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav engaged in a bitter feud for months ahead of the crucial UP elections, Mulayam Singh supported his brother at every turn. Matters came to a head last month when he released a list of candidates that left out several people close to Akhilesh Yadav, who in turn released a list of his own.