LIVE: EC allots SP's symbol 'cycle', party name to Akhilesh Yadav; Congress hails decision

NEW DELHI: In a major setback to Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh, the Election Commission on Monday allotted SP's election symbol 'cycle' and party's name to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. Live Updates:

साइकिल चलती जायेगी...आगे बढ़ती जायेगी... pic.twitter.com/DjFzr2DtrK

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) January 16, 2017

• "We congratulate Akhilesh on being allotted the cycle symbol. Election Commission has taken a judicious decision in record time," Congress spokesman R P N Singh said, adding the UP Chief Minister had 90 per cent of the party including legislators on his side.
• "I request Neta ji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) to not to waste time and go bless Akhilesh," Lalu Prasad said.
• "The communal forces will be benefited by the divide in Samajwadi Party... this country would not be saved if Narendra Modi will come to power (in UP)," Lalu said.
• Hundreds of party workers on Lucknow streets with party flags and raised slogans hailing Akhilesh Yadav and Rajya Sabha member Ram Gopal Yadav, who mentored the faction in the power struggle within the ruling party.
• Results in the upcoming UP polls will be historic if an alliance with SP takes shape, Congress leader Akhilesh Pratap Singh tells ABP News.
• EC took the right decision. They didn't have any supporting material to claim symbol and party name. UP CM is very happy: Ramgopal Yadav
• There's a possibility of electoral alliance with Congress for upcoming elections, Ramgopal Yadav tells ABP News
• Ram Gopal Yadav has filed individual affidavits of support from overwhelming majority of members in all layers of the party, the Lok Sabha MPs, Rajya Sabha MPs, MLAs, MLCs, National Executive, and the delegates of National Council, the total number amounting to almost 90% of the total strength, whereas Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav has not submitted any affidavit to show support enjoyed by him in any of these categories: EC order

• Individual affidavits from 4400 delegates of the National Convention were also submitted.
• Akhilesh faction submitted individual affidavits from 28 members of the National Executive of the party, 15 MPs, 205 MLAs and 56 MLCs elected on the ticket of the party.

• The group led by Akhilesh Yadav is the Samajwadi Party and is entitled to use its name, reserved symbol 'Bicycle', the EC said.
• The group led by Akhilesh Yadav is the Samajwadi Party and is entitled to use its name and reserved symbol Bicycle, the three-member Election Commission headed by Nasim Zaidi said in its order.

#cycle symbol allotted to #AkhileshYadav @yadavakhilesh @abpnewstv pic.twitter.com/5ngdd3J8Se — Pankaj Jha (@pankajjha_) January 16, 2017

• The verdict comes a day ahead of the start of the filing of nominations in the seven-phased polls in the state beginning on February 11.

Click here to read the order of the election commission on father-son dispute The Akhilesh-led faction claimed ownership to the symbol, saying that it enjoyed the support of the majority of the party's members of Parliament and the legislators. The EC, after hearing both the sides on Friday, had reserved its verdict on the issue. Earlier today,  Mulayam accused Akhilesh Yadav of having a negative approach towards Muslims and said he will fight against his son if he does not heed to his advice. Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh Yadav asserted their respective claims over the party's election symbol 'cycle'. Mulayam Singh had insisted on his right to the symbol being the party founder and also its "present President". Meanwhile, Akhilesh was appointed the "President" of the party at an "emergency national convention" called on January 1 in Lucknow. The meeting was convened by Akhilesh's confidant and Rajya Sabha member Ram Gopal Yadav. (With inputs from agencies)