New Delhi, Jan 9: Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday told the Election Commission (EC) that he remained the Samajwadi Party president and termed the convention called by the camp of his son and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav “unconstitutional.” He asserted that the party’s electoral symbol , ‘Cycle’, should remain with his camp.
Accompanied by his loyalists Amar Singh and Shivpal Singh Yadav, Mulayam also contested the affidavits of party leaders submitted by the party faction owing allegiance to Akhilesh, alleging they were forged and asked the EC to get them verified.
Sources in the party said he also told the EC that Ram Gopal Yadav, who had called the convention in which Akhilesh was made the party president, was expelled from the outfit before that and, therefore, the meeting was unconstitutional as per the SP’s constitution.
He also said that though there was a resolution appointing Akhilesh as party president and another one appointing him as its mentor, there was no resolution removing him from the party chief’s post.
Mulayam on Monday wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari informing him about the expulsion of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav loyalist Ramgopal Yadav from the party and as leader of the party in the Upper House.
He also urged Ansari to shift Ramgopal’s seat to the back benches following his expulsion from the party. As of now, he has been occupying one of the front benches near BSP chief Mayawati’s seat.
Sources in the party said the letter informed the Rajya Sabha secretariat that Ramgopal, a cousin of Mulayam, was expelled from the party for six years on 30 December, 2016 and ceases to be leader of SP’s Parliamentary Party in the Upper House.
There is no word as of now on whom Mr. Mulayam will appoint as the party’s new leader in Rajya Sabha.
