Lucknow: The ongoing dispute in the ruling Samajwadi Party seems on the verge of reconciliation as father Mulayam Singh Yadav and his rebel Chief Minister son Akhilesh Yadav met for the first time after both factions went to the Election Commission to stake claim on the party and election symbol. The meeting took place at the residence of Mulayam at 5 Vikramaditya Marg, where Akhilesh went to meet his father from the adjoining 4 Vikramaditya Marg bungalow at around 1040 hrs. The meeting went on for 90 minutes where the father-son met one-on-one without any interruption.
This was the second meeting between the father and the son after Akhilesh made a coup and took over the reigns of the party at an emergency delegate meeting here on January 1. The last meeting was held on January 3 for around three-and-a-half hours but it did not yield any result. After today's meeting, the CM went to his residence from inside gate between the two bungalows and then went to his official residence 5, Kalidas Marg. While coming out from his residence, Akhilesh only waved his hands to give an impression to his supporters that all is well in the party but refused to speak to the media.
Akhilesh has conveyed to his supporters to go to their respective assembly constituencies and campaign, while adding that he will release programme of his campaign very soon. However, sources in the party hinted that during the meeting Mulayam has asked Akhilesh to withdraw letter from EC while emphasising that he will remain head of poll setup with Akhilesh to command the campaign and distribute the assembly tickets in the party. "Mulayam Singh Yadav also assured his son Akhilesh in the meeting that he will be the CM's face in UP and Mulayam will remain party president," sources said.
The meeting between the father and son comes just hour after Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam extending an olive branch to warring faction with declaring that Akhilesh Yadav would be the Chief Ministerial face of the party in the forthcoming assembly election. However, Prof Ram Gopal Yadav too in New Delhi today demanded that the Mulayam faction should also withdraw their petition from the ECI for an amicable solution. Last night, Mulayam announced Akhilesh as the CM face of the party after he had met officials in Election Commission in New Delhi and had claimed his right over Samajwadi Party’s election symbol `cycle’. “I want to make it clear that Akhilesh Yadav would be the next Chief Minister of the state,” he said to a private news channel immediately after his hour-long meeting with Shivpal Singh Yadav and tainted minister Gayatri Prajapati after his return from New Delhi last night.
Declaring that Chief Ministerial candidate was one of the bones of contention in the feud between father and son, Mulayam Singh had earlier refused to project Akhilesh as CM face and claimed that legislature party will elect new CM. He even said that he himself was elected CM by legislature party. The shift came in stand of Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday evening when clarified that now Akhilesh would be the Chief Ministerial candidate.
The announcement to this private channel seems to be a well thought out political strategy as he knew what exactly he had to say as he had jotted points on a piece of paper when he spoke to the reporter. “There are three points. One, there would be no division in Samajwadi party, two I will start election campaign shortly and address meetings at divisional headquarters and third Akhilesh would be CM candidate of the party, “he said while reading out notes from the page last night. Probably, this is the last attempt Mulayam Singh had made to salvage his party which he had built brick by brick in last 25 years. (UNI)
