New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's faction has been allotted Samajwadi Party's 'cycle' symbol by the Election Commission ahead of state polls in Uttar Pradesh.
The 43-year-old CM thus emerged victorious in the tussle with his father and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for the party symbol. Over the last few day both camps had filed competing claims with the EC.
Election Commission says group led by Akhilesh Yadav is the Samajwadi Party and is entitled to use the 'Bicycle' symbol
There is a now a possible talk of alliance with Congress.
Here is how SP-Cong-RLD alliance can halt Modi and Mayawati's charge in UP:
1. SP has strong presence in eastern UP and central region, Congress vote is thinly spread across the state and with a grand alliance involving RLD with pocket of influence in western UP, the alliance will be a formidable force.
2. An SP-Congress-RLD alliance could help this front consolidate the votes of Yadavs, Muslims and Jats — a winning combination.
3. The SP and the Congress together could also prevent a split in the sizeable Muslim votes between the Mayawati-led BSP and the SP.
4. The Congress retains the loyalty of a generation of older voters, and a small segment of upper castes and Dalits -constituencies that have traditionally not voted for SP.
5. A grand alliance would also help SP counter anti-incumbency by promising to deliver on a new agenda where there will be more stakeholders involved.
6. Adding the vote share of SP (22.35%), Congress (7.53%) and RLD (0.86%) in the 2014 election, they can still reach the magical figure of 30% vote share.