While Mulayam Singh Yadav has no option but to either seek another symbol or opt for the symbol of the existing Lok Dal — as has been offered by the party’s president — for the Akhilesh Yadav camp, it is a huge boost just a day before nominations for the first round of polling starts. While it was announced that Akhilesh Yadav would start a whirlwind tour of the state from 19 January, the announcement of the much-anticipated alliance comprising Congress and other parties is also likely to happen in a day or two.
For all practical purposes, the EC decision has helped the transfer of Mulayam Singh Yadav’s political legacy to his elder son, something which the senior Yadav always wanted despite his criticism of the way Akhilesh Yadav ran the government. Mulayam Singh Yadav had started commenting upon Akhilesh Yadav’s style of working within a few months of the latter becoming the chief minister. Events of the last five months further helped establish that Akhilesh Yadav had the power and authority to challenge powerful old-timers in the party including uncle Shivpal Yadav. All this while, Akhilesh Yadav continued to say that Mulayam Singh Yadav’s word was final for him. Then came the big day on 1 January when Akhilesh Yadav was named party’s national president in place of Mulayam Singh Yadav.
