Mulayam Singh approaches EC to stake claim on 'Cycle' symbol: As it happened

Loyalists of Samajwadi Party patriarch Monday morning started up lining in the national capital to ensure that the 'cycle' symbol remains with Mulayam Singh Yadav against the backdrop of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav seeking to take control of the party.

By Biplob Ghosal | Last Updated: Monday, January 2, 2017 - 23:40

Lucknow: Loyalists of Samajwadi Party patriarch Monday morning started up lining in the national capital to ensure that the 'cycle' symbol remains with Mulayam Singh Yadav against the backdrop of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav seeking to take control of the party.

2 January 2017, 17:34 PM

Mulayam Singh Yadav accompanied by Amar Singh, Shivpal Singh Yadav and Jaya Prada leaves Election Commission.

2 January 2017, 17:03 PM

Mylayam, Shivpal, Jaya Prada and Amar Singh meet EC officials. 

2 January 2017, 16:57 PM

Mulayam Singh Yadav accompanied by Amar Singh, Shivpal Singh Yadav and Jaya Prada reach Election Commission office in Delhi.

2 January 2017, 16:35 PM

Mulayam Singh Yadav accompanied by Amar Singh, Shivpal Singh Yadav and Jaya Prada head to Election Commission's office to stake claim on SP symbol 'Cycle'.

2 January 2017, 16:23 PM

Ram Gopal Yadav will meet EC tomorrow to stake claim on SP symbol Cycle.

2 January 2017, 13:53 PM

The Congress said that rift should not directly or indirectly strengthen the hands of the BJP or others.

"There is of course a larger issue that is why other political formation would be concerned and that it should not directly or indirectly strengthen the hand of the forces like the BJP," Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi told ANI.

2 January 2017, 13:01 PM

Amar Singh reaches Mulayam Singh Yadav's residence in Delhi.

Mulayam, Amar Singh and Shivpal Yadav will meet EC at 4:30 pm to stake claim over Samajwadi Party symbol 'Cycle'.

2 January 2017, 12:29 PM

Rajya Sabha member Naresh Agarwal, who is on Akhilesh's side, today advised Mulayam to maintain distance with Amar Singha and Shivpal Yadav, saying wanted to ruin Netaji.

2 January 2017, 11:53 AM

Before leaving for Delhi, Shivpal had said, Mulayam Singh Yadav is the SP national president even now and will continue to be.

2 January 2017, 11:32 AM

Samajwadi Party MP Amar Singh says he won`t mind his expulsion from the party but would definitely feel bad if Mulayam Singh Yadav discards him from his heart.

"I will feel bad if Mulayam ji will discard me from his heart and if I would be expelled from the party then it will not be regretful for me," Singh says.

Singh further says he would not mind being called as villain as long as Mulayam is with him.

2 January 2017, 11:32 AM

Shivpal Yadav reaches Mulayam Singh's residence in Delhi.

2 January 2017, 10:39 AM

Mulayam , Shivpal, and Amar Singh to visit Election Commission at 2 PM today to stake claim on party symbol 'Cycle'.

2 January 2017, 10:31 AM

Mulayam dismisses reports about his ill health, says "I am not unwell, I am completely healthy."

He is scheduled to leave for Delhi in a short while.

2 January 2017, 10:30 AM

Shivpal Yadav leaves for Delhi. He is scheduled to meet the Election Commission of India to stake claim on the SP symbol 'Cycle'.

2 January 2017, 10:02 AM

Akhilesh to chair meet with MLCs, and MLAs at 11 am today in Lucknow.

Also Read - Mulayam cheated Muslims, time to teach Samjawadi Party a lesson: Shahi Imam

2 January 2017, 09:22 AM

Also Read: Samajwadi Party feud: 'Akhilesh Yadav should not get 'cycle' election symbol' - Amar Singh's advice to Mulayam Singh Yadav

Mulayam Singh Yadav postpones national convention of Samajwadi Party called by him on January 5, says Shivpal Yadav.

2 January 2017, 09:21 AM

Mulayam and Shivpal are expected to visit the office of Election Commission and stake claim on party symbol 'Cycle'.

2 January 2017, 09:18 AM

The ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday split down the middle with the faction headed by CM Akhilesh Yadav removing Mulayam Singh Yadav as party chief and appointing him in his place at a convention in which the group claimed support of the majority of legislators and district units.

In other key decisions taken at a meeting of Akhilesh supporters here, Shivpal Yadav was sacked as the state unit head while Rajya Sabha member Amar Singh -- both Mulayam confidants -- was expelled from the party.

Mualyam retorted by again expelling his cousin Ram Gopal for six years along with national vice president Kiranmoy Nanda, who chaired the convention, and general secretary Naresh Agarwal for taking part in it.

43-year-old Akhilesh was "unanimously" crowned the SP president as Ram Gopal moved a proposal to make Mulayam, the founder president of SP, the party patron at the convention, where the CM's faction claimed that over 200 of the party's 229 MLAs, around 30 MLCs, besides majority of office bearers of district units were present.

The decisions by Akhilesh supporters -- and Mulayam Singh's retaliation -- plunged the ruling Samajwadi Party into a fresh crisis.
 

After a show of strength on Saturday when over 200 of the total 229 party legislators in the state attended a meeting called by him, Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday took complete control of the organisation.

Prompted by Ram Gopal Yadav, party veterans, close associates of the SP chief and ministers refused to be deterred by threats from Mulayam Singh. All of them shared the stage with Akhilesh Yadav.

Prominent among them were Rajya Sabha MPs Reoti Raman Singh and Naresh Agarwal and ministers Rajendra Chowdhary, Balram Yadav, Abhishek Mishra, Nitin Agarwal and Ahmad Hasan.

The young brigade included Anand Bhadauria, Sunil Singh 'Sajan' and Udayveer Singh - all MLCs from the Akhilesh camp who had been ousted from the party in October.

They applauded every word Akhilesh Yadav spoke.

Urban Development Minister and senior leader Mohd Azam Khan, who brokered peace on Saturday between the father and son, did not attend the meeting.

Addressing the convention, Akhilesh said he respected his father more than ever and that he would stand against those conspiring against the party while Ram Gopal attacked Shivpal for working in an "arbitrary" manner, alleging tickets were being given to those who are not even members of the party.

The fresh developments which almost left both Mulayam and younger brother Shivpal isolated in the party came a day after SP revoked the expulsion of Akhilesh and Ram Gopal amid the running bitter turf battle in the Yadav clan which threatens to affect its prospects in the upcoming Assembly election.

In more signs of defiance, Akhilesh appointed MLC Naresh Uttam as the new state president, replacing Shivpal.

Soon after the appointment of the new state unit president, supporters of Akhilesh laid siege to the state SP headquarters here in the high security VIP zone and forcibly wrenched out the nameplate of Shivpal to vent their ire.