Yesterday, Mulayam himself drove down to Nirvachan Sadan, the EC headquarters, to inform the poll watchdog that he continues to head the party and the decision to anoint his son Akhilesh as its president by the rival faction was unconstitutional as per the SP constitution.
Leaders loyal to Akhilesh -- Ram Gopal Yadav, Naresh Agarwal and Kiranmoy Nanda -- met the Commission this morning to stake claim over SP and its election symbol.
"The real Samajwadi Party belongs to us as 90 per cent of the people support us," Ram Gopal, who is Mulayam's cousin and has sided with Akhilesh in the family feud, told reporters after meeting the Commission.
He was asked about what he conveyed to the Commission on the party and its symbol.
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It may also give the two sides a new name to contest the polls till the time a final decision is taken on the real 'ownership' of Samajwadi Party and its symbol 'cycle'.
While Mulayam, who was in Delhi since yesterday afternoon, left for Lucknow, his close confidant Mohd Azam Khan reached here.
Khan said he will do what he can to bring about a rapprochement.
"Anything is possible. Who would have thought that their expulsion would be revoked," he told reporters here.
Before the Commission proceeds to adjudicate the matter, it will ask Mulayam and Akhilesh to respond to the claims by the opposite side. The process, EC sources said, may take up to four months before a final order is issued.
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