Akhilesh gets licence to ride SP ‘Bicycle’

The group led by Akhilesh Yadav is the Samajwadi Party and is entitled to use its name and reserved symbol ‘Bicycle’, the three-member Election Commission headed by Nasim Zaidi said in its order. The verdict came a day ahead of the start of the filing of nominations in the seven-phased polls in the state beginning on February 11. It also came within a fortnight of Akhilesh being anointed the national president of the party. 

Reacting to the EC order, a jubilant Ramgopal Yadav, who is the chief minister’s uncle and General Secretary of the group, said, “The EC took the right decision as they (Mulayam camp) did not have any supporting documents to claim symbol and party name.” The Congress hailed as “judicious” the Election Commission’s decision. Congress and the Akhilesh-led faction are busy stitching up a grand secular alliance in the state in an apparent bid to prevent BJP from coming to power in the politically key state. Interestingly, the EC announcement came hours after Akhilesh supporters put up his brand new name plate at the SP headquarters that read “Akhilesh Yadav, Party President” strategically positioned directly under his father’s nameplate which mentions Mulayam as “Party President”. Earlier on Monday, Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday accused chief minister Akhilesh Yadav of having a negative approach towards Muslims and said he will fight against his son if he does not heed to his advice. 

Addressing party workers at the SP headquarters here, Mulayam trained his guns on his son. “I always advocated interest of Muslims. When I ensured appointment of a Muslim as state’s director general of police (DGP), Akhilesh did not talk to me for 15 days. He did not want any Muslim on this post. It gave an anti-Muslim message,” he alleged.