Samajwadi Party's cycle symbol may be frozen if rivals stake claim to it

Lucknow: 'Cycle', the Samajwadi Party (SP) symbol faces the threat of being frozen before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls if rival factions stake claim to it in the coming days.

The group headed by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has already authorised him to constitute a national executive, parliamentary board and various state units, as required, and inform the Election Commission of the developments at the earliest.

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Sources in the Akhilesh faction said they will approach the EC if the group head by Mulayam Singh Yadav goes to the poll panel.

However, observers believe that it will be Akhilesh's faction which will have to go to the EC for staking claim over the symbol because on the commission's records it would be

Mulayam Singh Yadav and other office bearers who would find a place.

Should Akhilesh stake a claim for the symbol, then the commission would have to give notice to the other side and go through the process of hearing both the factions before deciding one way or the other.

In case, experts feel, the EC is not able to come to a decision as to which side should get the symbol for the elections then it could exercise the option of freezing the SP symbol.