The crisis deepened further with Shivpal, late on Thursday night, releasing the second list of 78 candidates, a potentially precipitate step which could further snuff out the options for Akhilesh within the SP tent. Shivpal included some Akhilesh loyalists, Abhishek Mishra, Yasar Shah and Kamal Akhtar.
Sources close to Akhilesh asserted that the aggression was not just posturing and that he was determined to go his separate way if he was not heeded by his father and estranged uncle Shivpal Yadav. They indicated that Akhilesh was bracing himself for this eventuality and had prepared plans to enter the fray on the strength of his `brand’.
Sources said he was ready to follow through the declaration of his list of candidates, who will be up against SP’s official nominees in many constituencies, by moving the Election Commission to apply for a symbol for the breakaway faction and to get the SP’s `cycle’ symbol frozen.
