Reply to claim on 'cycle': EC to camps

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission, intervening in the dispute between Samajwadi Party camps led by Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav, has asked both to reply to each other's petitions claiming to be the real party and staking claim to SP's poll symbol 'cycle'.
"We have forwarded petitions received from delegations led by Mulayam Yadav and Ram Gopal Yadav to the other side. They have been asked to file their replies by January 9 to arguments made in each other's petitions.Though we have not specifically asked for signed affidavits from MPs, MLAs and MLCs supporting each camp, as is the norm, we expect them to file these along with their replies," a senior EC official told TOI.
Sources said this is the first course of action taken by EC while deciding a dispute under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
The Commission has given limited time to the two parties to prove their strength and counter each other's claims to `cycle' symbol, given that polls to five states including UP have already been announced.
As notification for the first phase of polling in UP will be issued as early as January 17, there is little time before EC to take a call on who can fight on the SP poll symbol or if it should be `frozen' until after the polls. In the event of the latter, both factions may be alloted ad-hoc party names and a separate set of symbols.
After replacing Mulayam as party chief, Akhilesh is relentless as he continued with his efforts to consolidate his position further by appointing presidents of several district units. "We are going for polls...Will return again," said Akhilesh when asked about the ongoing tussle over the party symbol. Party sources say senior leaders' initiatives to broker peace between son and father has not bore any fruits so far.