Election Commission today recognised Akhilesh Yadav faction as the Samajwadi Party and permitted it to use the name of the party and its symbol Bicycle. The Commission also rejected party patriarch Mulayam SIngh Yadav”s claim to the party and the symbol.

The Commission in its order observed that the Akhilesh group enjoys overwhelming majority support both among the legislative and organizational wing of the party. The Commission said in response to its direction, Ramgopal Yadav on behalf of Chief Minister’s faction submitted individual affidavits of the members of legislative and organizational wings in support of the claim. On the other hand, Mulayam Singh Yadav did not file any affidavit of MPs, MLAs or any delegates except his own.

He also did not make claim of any support among the MPs, MLAs and MLCs and party delegates for his group, inspite of the fact that he was specifically directed by by the Commission to file such affidavits.

The poll body applied the test of majority supported as approved by the Supreme Court while deciding the case in favour of Akhilesh Yadav.

Earlier this month, in a special national convention called by Ramgopal Yadav in Lucknow, Mulayam Singh was removed from the president post appointing Akhilesh in his place. After it, Mualaym Singh Yadav had challenged the Akhilesh elevation terming the convention as illegal.