Mulayam becomes poster boy, Akhilesh rides the Cycle in style

 

The family feud between father Mulayam Singh Yadav, former party president of Samajwadi Party and his son, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav has taken an unexpected turn. After the rift both father and son had approached the Election Commission, requesting it for permission to use the Cycle symbol of the Samajvadi Party. At last EC awarded the Cycle to Akhilesh and Mulayam had to return home empty-handed.

 

According to the latest advertisements from Samajwadi Party, it looks like Akhilesh has learnt a lot from his relatively short stint in politics (when compared to Mulayam Singh Yadav). He has designed advertisements where Mulayam Singh is shown prominently, and Akhilesh is backing him.

 

 

One of the advertisements even goes to say that “Aapki Cycle sadda chalegi aapke naam se” meaning “Your cycle will always run in your name”. Another advertisement states, Pita se jeevan aur Pradesh se lakshya- mere asthitv ka aur koi moolya nahin” meaning “My life is my father’s gift and my aim is my state and apart from this, there is no value to my life.”

 

The vehicle being used for election campaign has Mulayam Singh on the top and Akhilesh at the bottom with slogan, there has been development under the SP rule and we will continue to develop the state (Niranthar Vikaas Kiya Hai, aage bhi vikaas karte rahenge).

 

 

From Akhilesh’s side, it is an important move as he is trying to keep the party together with its supporters. Any problem in the party, especially at this juncture might provide an advantage to the opposition parties.

 

 

However, now the Congress has also joined hands with the Samajwadi Party. Taking a cue from SP, Congress too has designed posters stating “Haath ko mila Cycle ka saath. Akhilesh aur Rahul challenge saath saath”, meaning Hand (Congress) gets Cycle’s partnership, now Akhilesh and Rahul will walk together. Surprisingly, this advertisement does not have Mulayam Singh in it.

 

Thus it is clear that after winning over the Cycle symbol from his father (through EC), Akhilesh is planning his every move intelligently. In public, he is respecting his father but in the party level, he is taking independent decisions, without the help of his father. So much so, Akhilesh has announced himself as the SP party chief, the post which was earlier in the name of his father Mulayam Singh.

 

Also Read: UP Dangal: How Cycle has kept the Yadav family united!

 

With more than three-fourth of the elected members from SP supporting Akhilesh, Mulayam is left with no other option but to go along with his son. Thus at least in the Assembly elections starting on February 11, both father and son will be seen campaigning together, of course with father’s picture in the forefront and Akhilesh riding the SP Cycle in reality.