In a show of strength set to escalate into a full blown showdown, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today met loyalist party MLAs here and collected signed affidavits declaring him the president of ruling Samajwadi Party.
The affidavits, PTI reported, will be presented to the Election Commission to claim the ‘cycle’ election symbol.
According to data accessed by India TV, 206 MLAs and 55 MLCs flocked to Akhilesh’s official residence at 5, Kalidas Marg, and submitted their signed affidavits to him.
The SP has 229 MLAs in the 403-chair House.
Sources said that 12 more lawmakers including 11 MLAs and 1 MLC have come forward in support of Akhilesh's faction.
The Chief Minister, sources said, is also arranging signature of 5,500 participants of the National Executive meet held on Jan 1 that declared AKhilesh as the party's national president.
Giving ample indications that he was not in a mood to climb down, a defiant Akhilesh said, "We are going for polls... Will return again."
During the meet, Akhilesh said that he called the national executive meet to put an end to the conspiracies being hatched against the party and the government as well.
“I can’t be a silent spectator. I can’t sit on chair and see conspiracies being hatched against my party and government. This was the reason why we convened national executive meet to appoint me the president of SP. Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) is my father and I request him to listen me for three months, I am sure SP will emerge victorious and form the government again," he said.
On the other hand, SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav too has left for Delhi to furnish details of support to the EC for retaining the 'cycle' symbol.
Sources in his camp said that Mulayam was armed with signed affidavits of MLAs, MLCs and MPs which he would furnish to the EC. The number of the signed affidavits with him was not immediately clear.
Mulayam was accompanied by Shivpal Yadav, who was removed from the post of state SP chief at the party's disputed national convention where Akhilesh Yadav was crowned as SP president, replacing his father.
The Election Commission has initiated the process for the two warring factions of the Samajwadi Party - one led by Mulayam and the other by Akhilesh - to prove their majority for getting the party symbol. In the 404-member UP Assembly, SP has 229 MLAs.
The EC has asked both factions to show strength of MLAs, MPs and MLCs supporting them through signed affidavits.
At the national convention of SP convened by Ramgopal Yadav on Jaunary 1, over 200 of the 229 MLAs had turned up besides a large number of MLCs and MPs and senior party leaders and office bearers.
SP MP Naresh Agarwal, who is close to the CM, claimed that majority of the party MLAs, MLCs and MPs were with Akhilesh.
The latest development comes a day after the Election Commission announced seven-phase polling in the most populous state between February 11 and March 8. Results will be declared on March 11 (Saturday).
