Lucknow/New Delhi: The “main thorn” in the Samajwadi parivar, the so-called “outsider” Amar Singh, has apparently given an indication that he is “willing to step down” if his presence is the main stumbling block to the party’s unity.
Hectic parleys were held throughout the day on Friday in Lucknow without any breakthrough, except that Akhilesh Yadav continued to remain on top with majority of the Samajwadi Party legislators backing him.
On the request of the faction led by the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, SP’s bank accounts have been frozen. The Samajwadi Party has around '500 crore in its Delhi, Etawah and Lucknow accounts and money cannot be withdrawn without the consent of the party’s national president.
While some in the party claimed that the crisis in the SP would get over by Sunday, both the factions seemed keen to meet the Election Commission on January 9 to claim the cycle symbol.
Friday was a day of meetings in Lucknow even as the “brain” behind the Akhilesh camp, party general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav, was camped in Delhi with over 200 signed affidavits from legislators — MLAs and MLCs — in the chief minister’s favour.
He said that he would pursue Akhilesh Yadav’s claim to the party symbol with EC on Monday.
The EC will offer the party symbol not merely on the basis of the strength of legislatures, but also on proof of organisational strength that each faction has in the party. This would mean that all district heads and block-level office bearers would have to sign in favour either Akhilesh Yadav or Mulayam Singh Yadav. Ram Gopal Yadav is reportedly ready with the required documents. In Lucknow, the entire senior SP leadership, converged at Mulayam’s residence.
