Mulayam says no rift with son, blames Ram Gopal

The battle now is for the party's poll symbol, the bicycle, which Mulayam claims as Samajwadi chief

Mulayam Singh Yadav, founder-patriarch of the Samajwadi Party (SP), whose son and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has staged a coup against him, decided to state on Monday that the two had no differences.

"There is no rift with my son. One person is creating problems. I am sure the issues will be resolved," he said, in a reference to cousin, Ram Gopal Yadav, a prime organiser of Akhilesh's moves in the ongoing power struggle.

The SP and the ruling Yadav family in Uttar Pradesh has been in the limelight for many days, amid claims and counter-claims by both groups.

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