Hailing as "just", the EC verdict recognising the Akhilesh Yadav faction as Samajwadi Party and allotting it the reserved symbol 'bicyle', Ramgopal Yadav hinted at an alliance with the Congress.
After winning the Cycle, Akhilesh Yadav went to meet his father and seek his blessings. He also tweeted: Cycle chalti jayegi, aage badhti jayegi (The cycle will keep on keep on moving, it will keep on moving forward).”
Hailing as "just", the Election Commission verdict recognising the Akhilesh Yadav faction as Samajwadi Party and allotting it the reserved symbol 'bicyle', Ramgopal Yadav said he was "hopeful" the party will forge an alliance with Congress for the high-stakes Uttar Pradesh elections.
Speaking to reporters immediately after the Commission's decision, SP General Secretary Ramgopal Yadav urged party men to work harder now to ensure see the young leader gets another term as the Chief Minister.
"We are thankful to the EC, it has given a just order. I congratulate workers and leaders of Samajwadi Party and urge them to work towards electing Akhilesh as Chief Minister yet another time," Yadav, who has been a staunch supporter of the Chief Minister through the intra-party conflict, said.
Ramgopal said the final decision regarding forging alliance with Congress will be taken by Akhilesh, but he expressed hopes that it will happen. "It is Akhilesh Yadav who will decide on the alliance.
But I am hopeful it will happen," he added. The SP general secretary also said the list of party candidates will be released in a day or two.
In a major boost to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, the Election Commission today recognised the faction headed by him as the Samajwadi Party and alloted the reserved symbol 'bicycle' to it for contesting the coming Assembly elections.
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.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav enjoys "overwhelming majority support" of legislators and party delegates, the Election Commission held today while allocating the Samajwadi Party election symbol 'Cycle' to him.
The Commission also went by past precedents when it had based its judgements on numerical strength as directed by the Supreme Court in a 1972 verdict. "...A mere look at the figures...will evidently demonstrate that Akhilesh Yadav enjoys overwhelming majority support, both among the legislative and organisational wing of the party.
"As a logical consequence of the above finding and applying the test of majority support approved by the Supreme Court in the case of Sadiq Ali and consistently applied by the Commission thereafter in all cases of disputes in recognised political parties arising before it from time to time...the group led by Akhilesh Yadav is the Samajwadi Party and is entitled to use its name and its reserved symbol Bicycle..," the 42-page order of the EC said.
Rejecting the stand of the Mulayam Singh Yadav camp, the Commission said there is a clear split in the party.
"...The Commission is satisfied that a split has arisen in the Samajwadi Party resulting in the formation of two rival groups -- one, led by Akhilesh Yadav and the, other, led by Mulayam Singh Yadav, each claiming to be that party, and, therefore, the matter needed to be determined by the Commission under para 15 of the Symbols Order," the poll panel said.
It said 205 of the 228 MLAs, 56 of the 68 MLCs, 15 of the 24 MPs and 28 of the 46 National Executive members have sided with Akhilesh. Also, 4400 of the 5731 National Convention delegates have signed in favour of the Chief Minister, the order said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Akhilesh and Mulayam Singh Yadav")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}