Further strengthening his grip on the Samajwadi Party, Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday got seized the bank accounts of party, thus stopping the faction led by his father Mulayam Singh Yadav to use any of the funds.
The accounts were freezed on the request of ‘acting national president’ Akhilesh Yadav.
Samajwadi Party has nearly Rs 500 crore in its bank accounts in Lucknow, Etawah and Delhi which can not be withdrawn without the permission of the national president of the party.
The party has bank accounts in Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, State Bank of India, Vijaya Bank and UP Cooperative Bank Limited in Lucknow and also in State Bank of India in Delhi and Bank of Baroda in Etawah.
While the party has over Rs 350 crore in fixed deposits, its accounts in SBI and BoB in Lucknow have Rs 23 crore Rs 19 crore respectively.
Both the factions-each led by Akhilesh and Mulayam- will need funds to contest upcoming assembly elections in UP, dates of which were announced yesterday by the Election Commission. Whoever controls the funds will have a upper hand in claiming the party and its leaders.
Today, Akhilesh Yadav seized control of the district units of the party with appointment of party heads in seven more districts, a day after announcing new chiefs for four districts.
"On directives of national president Akhilesh Yadav, state president Naresh Uttam today appointed new district presidents in Mainpuri, Moradabad, Fatehpur, Etawah, Farukhabad, Firozabad and Hardoi districts," a press release issued by the Akhilesh camp said.
The existing presidents of these district units were sacked with immediate effect to pave the way for new faces.
Akhilesh had yesterday directed Deoria, Kushinagar, Azamgarh and Mirzapur district presidents to remain in their posts and strengthen the party.
Meanwhile, Quami Ekta Dal (QED) MLA Sigbatullah Ansari met the chief minister. Sigbatullah said he met Akhilesh as he was invited by him.
Akhilesh had opposed the merger of the gangster-turned- politician Mukhtar Ansari's QED with the SP last year, while his father Mulayam had supported it.
He today met loyalist party MLAs and collected signed affidavits declaring him the president of ruling Samajwadi Party.
The affidavits, PTI reported, will be presented to the Election Commission to claim the ‘cycle’ election symbol.
According to data accessed by India TV, 206 MLAs and 55 MLCs flocked to Akhilesh’s official residence at 5, Kalidas Marg, and submitted their signed affidavits to him.
The SP has 229 MLAs in the 403-chair House.
Sources said that 12 more lawmakers including 11 MLAs and 1 MLC have come forward in support of Akhilesh's faction.
On the other hand, SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav today held discussions with his close confidante Amar Singh amid talks that they may approach the Election Commission with letters of support from over 50 per cent of the legislators and office bearers.
While Mulayam's close aides maintained he sought time from the Commission to put forth his stand, the poll panel firmly rejected that any appointment was sought.
Then in the evening, hours after coming to Delhi, Mulayam left for Lucknow with his brother Shivpal without approaching the Commission.
Sources in the poll watchdog said they have not received any document from the SP founder.
"In fact, his side is yet to submit the letter removing Ram Gopal Yadav as National General Secretary," an official claimed.
Seeking to retain the 'Samajwadi Party' name and its election symbol 'cycle', Mulayam and Shivpal had rushed to the national capital this morning to furnish details of support he enjoys in the embattled party to the poll panel, while his chief minister son stayed put at his official residence in Lucknow collecting signed affidavits to back his claim of majority support.
