I am president of SP, Akhilesh is UP CM, asserts Mulayam

Convention called by Ram Gopal on Jan 1 that made Akhilesh party chief illegal, says SP patriarch

The internal feud in the Samajwadi Party (SP) took another turn on Sunday as Mulayam Singh Yadav reasserted that he is still the chief of the party. He called the January 1 convention where his son Akhilesh Yadav was crowned as the president as illegal. 

"I am national president of Samajwadi Party, Akhilesh Yadav is UP chief minister, Shivpal Yadav is president of UP unit of SP," Mulayam told media persons at a press conference in New Delhi. 

"Ram Gopal Yadav was expelled for 6 years. He had no right to call a convention," the SP leader added refusing to answer any question posed by reporters. 

Earlier in the day, Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh, who is a part of the Mulayam faction claimed that the signatures of support submitted by Ram Gopal Yadav in an affidavit to the Election Commission to prove majority support for Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav-led faction are forged and hence their authenticity is doubtful.

Ram Gopal Yadav had submitted the affidavits to the Election Commission on Sunday. 

Both the factions are now fighting for the poll symbol of the party.