Mulayam returns to Lucknow after meeting his lawyers, party colleagues

New Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS) Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday returned to Lucknow after meeting his lawyers, who are understood to have met Election Commission of India officials over the party's symbol issue.

According to party sources, Mulayam Singh, who was accompanied by his younger brother and loyalist Shivpal Singh Yadav, held a meeting with his two lawyers, who on his instructions went to the EC to claim that he was still the chief of the party and the election symbol 'cycle' belonged to him.

However, the lawyers didn't interact with the media persons here.

Mulayam Singh also held a meeting with senior party leaders Amar Singh and Jaya Prada here for over two hours. Shivpal Yadav was also present.

This is Mulayam Singh's second visit to the city within four days after he was "ousted" as National President of the party by his son and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in an emergency national convention of the party in Lucknow on Sunday. The Akhilesh Yadav-led faction also removed Shivpal Yadav as the state president of the party.

On Monday, Mulayam Singh had met the Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi to stake his claim over the party's symbol 'cycle'. However on Tuesday, Ram Gopal Yadav, close confidante of Akhilesh Yadav, also met the CEC over the party's symbol.