90 per cent of SP legislators, delegates are with Akhilesh, says Ram Gopal Yadav after submitting documents to Election Commission

In a bid to buttress its claim over the cycle symbol to contest the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections beginning next month, the Akhilesh Yadav camp on Saturday submitted to the Election Commission affidavits signed by party legislators and office bearers.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s loyalist Ram Gopal Yadav reached Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi, the Election Commission headquarters, to submit the documents in copies of seven as asked by the poll panel.

He claimed the papers number over 1.5 lakh pages and carries signatures of over 200 MLAs, 56 of the 68 MLCs, 15 of the 24 MPs and nearly 4600 of over 5000 delegates supporting Akhilesh.

“90 per cent of the legislators and delegates are with Akhilesh Yadav, therefore, it is crystal clear that we are the real SP...we should be given the cycle symbol and considered the real SP,” he told reporters after handing over documents.

He claimed a set was sent to Mulayam Singh Yadav at his Delhi residence but he refused to acknowledge the receipt.  “Now, it will be sent to his Lucknow address,” Ram Gopal said.

The Mulayam camp is likely to submit its set of affidavits on Monday, the deadline set by EC for both the sides to submit documents.

On January 3, a split in the SP was formalised after both the sides had moved the poll watchdog staking claim over SP and its symbol.