Samajwadi Party feud: Shopkeepers selling party posters, banners in distress, suffer loss

Lucknow: The rift in the Samajwadi Party (SP) is not only affecting the people directly associated with the party, but also those who are indirectly connected with the same.

Several shopkeepers in the state, who have been selling the party`s banners and election posters since years, are suffering loss in their sales following the feud within the party.

The Election Commission on Friday reserved its judgement on the dispute over the Samajwadi Party`s `cycle`, with both the warring factions staking claim to the symbol.

The Election Commission had summoned both groups, one led by party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and the other by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

In rebuttal, the Mulayam camp claimed that the convention in which Akhilesh was anointed as the party chief was against the SP Constitution.

After the split in the party last week, both sides had submitted signed affidavits of legislators and office bearers representing them to claim control over the party`s name and symbol.