Meet signals thaw in SP family

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday held a long meeting with his father Mulayam Singh Yadav to resolve the crisis that had been raging within the SP family for the past five months.

The meet comes a day after the Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo declared that Akhilesh would be the chief ministerial candidate of the party in the upcoming Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.

Though Akhilesh, who remained closeted with Mulayam for a little less than two hours, did not speak to the waiting reporters, his body language did indicate a thaw in their relations.

The chief minister waved to the reporters with a smile as his cavalcade proceeded straight to his official residence, a few hundred metres away.

SP sources said the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and the father-son duo discussed issues ranging from Akhilesh’s anointment as the national president of the party replacing Mulayam, authority for selection of Assembly poll nominees among others.

Sources said that Mulayam had agreed to allow Akhilesh to have a “major say” in candidates’ selection and officially declare him the party’s face.

The SP supremo, however, asked Akhilesh to “withdraw” his application filed with the Election Commission (EC) staking claim to the SP election symbol, and “relinquish” the post of SP national president.

The chief minister, according to sources, told his father that he will have to discuss it with his supporters.

Akhilesh also sought revocation of expulsion of his uncle Ram Gopal Yadav and showing the door to SP Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh.

Remove hoardings of leaders: poll panel
The Election Commission has ordered the chief election officers (CEOs) of poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Punjab and Goa to remove or cover hoardings featuring pictures of prime minister, chief ministers or Union or state ministers, in these states.

It has directed the CEOs of the five poll-bound states to either cover or remove photographs of political leaders on all hoardings and advertisements or similar displays in public space seeking to project the achievements of any living political functionary or political party.

The hoardings or advertisements put up in public space by the government to give general information or convey general messages to the masses on family planning and social welfare schemes will stay.