After the meeting the Uttar Pradesh chief minister did not answer media questions; EC hearing on the claims of both party factions on Jan 13
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Lucknow: Differences persisted yesterday over key issues in Samjawadi Party, notwithstanding a meeting Akhilesh Yadav had with party patriarch Mulayam, who had last night declared that his son will be the chief minister if the party wins in the Assembly elections.
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There was no official word from either side as to what transpired at the 90-minute one-to-one meeting between the father and the son at Mulayam's bungalow which took place amid signs of rapprochement.
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister walked down to his father's bungalow and after the meeting proceeded to his residence without responding to media questions.
No reconciliation
There were expectations of reconciliation as Akhilesh's warring uncle Shivpal and Amar Singh, often described as an outsider by the CM's camp, were kept out of the confabulations. However, party insiders said the long meeting ended without finding any common ground.
The main bone of contention was the post of party president, which Akhilesh had snatched from his father at a party meeting here on January 1.
Mulayam asserts he is still party president and wants Akhilesh to give up his claim. But, the 43-year-old Chief Minister, who claims the backing of a majority of leaders and lawmakers in the party, is in no mood to give it up.
He is adamant that he will hold the post for three months and will relinquish it once the UP elections are over, SP leaders said.
EC to decide
Meanwhile, the two SP factions led by Mulayam and Akhilesh, which have staked claim over the party and its election symbol 'cycle' ahead of Assembly elections, will be heard by Election Commission on January 13, the poll panel said.
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