'Numbers would unnerve Mayawati': BJP expects 10 lakh turnout at PM's rally

.liveblog border-bottom:5px solid #ededed;padding:10px 0 10px 10px;max-width:840px !important .loadM background:#ededed;padding:10px 0;margin-bottom:0px .b14 font:14px Arial;color:#000 .listBlog li padding:0px 0;margin:5px 0 .hd font:700 24px/25px Arial;color:#000;border-bottom:3px solid #d1d1d1;padding-bottom:10px .time font:14px Arial;color:#666;padding:5px !important .time strong color:#c00 .bDtl margin-left:5px;font:14px/19px Arial;color:#666 .bluLk color:#3c98c9 .imgDesc font:italic 12px Arial;color:#a8a8a8 .list li color:#5c5c5c;background:url( ) no-repeat 0 7px;padding:0 0 3px 15px .play background:url( ) no-repeat;width:76px;height:76px;position:absolute;margin:130px 0 0 235px .arw background:url( ) no-repeat;width:28px;height:16px;position:absolute;margin:35px 0 0 30px; margin-top:39px .sharBx display:inline-block;vertical-align:middle .sharBx .bluLk display:inline .topLeft float:right;margin-right:20px .topLeft form float:left .topLeft a float:right;margin-left:10px;margin-top:3px #tagResult width:200px;height:25px;font-weight:bold;padding-left:5px .topSubmit height:28px;margin-left:5px;cursor:pointer .w196 width:196px;float:left;padding-right:18px .w552 width:552px;float:right;border-left:1px solid #d9d9d9;padding-left:20px .w752 width:752px;float:right;border-left:1px solid #d9d9d9;padding-left:20px .bd16b font:bold 16px Arial Helvetica sans-serif;color:#000 .w196 ul li a padding:18px 0px 10px 20px;display:inline-block;background:url( ) no-repeat 0px 17px;color:#666;font:14px/16px Arial Helvetica sans-serif .w196 ul li a span color:#c00 .w196 ul li a:hover background:url( ) no-repeat 0px 17px .keyfield background:#FFC !important @media all and (max-width: 1200px) .liveblog max-width:590px !important .w352 width:352px .w552 width:352px .w752 width:552px;float:right;border-left:1px solid #d9d9d9;padding-left:20px Jan 2 2017Highlights 15:09 (IST)Modi attacks SP Congress and BSP: Says BJP only party who thinks of the people of Uttar Pradesh 14:46 (IST)BJP s 14 years exile will get over this year: Modi 14:38 (IST) 14:36 (IST)Not dangal but mangal is what UP citizens want: Rajnath 14:30 (IST)Massive turnout at Ramabai http://figment.com/users/502777-linuxliveusbc Ambedkar Grounds 14:26 (IST)Under BJP development will do a ghar wapsi in Uttar Pradesh: Rajnath 14:21 (IST)After Amit Shah Rajnath Singh speaks in Lucknow 14:07 (IST) 15:18(IST) Sabka Saath Sabka Vikaas: Modi The Prime Minister says this election will prove that development will trump all caste and votebank politics. Modi concludes speech. 15:09(IST) Modi attacks SP Congress and BSP: Says BJP only party who thinks of the people of Uttar Pradesh I will make sure that nothing stops development in Uttar Pradesh and for that not half-heartedly but make us victorious with full mandate. BJP is the only party that thinks about the people of this state. Every other party is busy dealing with family feuds or trying to hide their black money. The decision is yours and I am here to urge all of you to vote for BJP and let us help you. New Delhi is behind ever person of Uttar Pradesh. Ek dal aisa hai jo apne bete ko prasthapit karne ke liye 15 saal se koshish kar raha hai lekin abhi tak daal galti nazar nahin aa rahi: PM pic.twitter.com/xRkZMOkkQ8 ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017Kuch dal aise hain jinka UP mein ata pata hi nahin hai: PM Modi ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017Doosre dal ko chinta hai paise kahan rakhein wo paise bachane mein lage hain door door ki bank khoj rahe hain: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/Lx3Rx5zSGi ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017Aur ek dal aisa hai jo parivar ka kya hoga usmein lage hue hain: PM Narendra Modi in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/BePqKNPLLa ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017Our high command is the people of India. We have no other high command: PM Modi in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/K1tbGCjzY0 ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017 15:04(IST)They say remove Modi I say remove black money they say remove Modi I say remove corruption. You decide what we want to remove: PM Modi ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017 15:02(IST) Modi tells the crowd to download Bhim app Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app for cashless payments. The application can be set up in a matter of seconds and allows for safe secure and simple cashless transactions. It is not a mobile wallet the app is inter-operable with Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and it connects directly to your bank account. The application is developed by the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI). Read the review here 15:01(IST) Both SP and BSP are united against me: Modi Have you ever seen both SP and BSP united over anything? No. They are never united. But they in one voice are united against me. It s your decision bhaiyon aur behnon. They say Modi hatao I say corruption hatao. Aapne kabhi SP BSP ko ek saath dekha hai? Itne saalon ke baad ek mudde pe dono ikhatte ho gaye keh rahe hain Modi ko badlo: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/dYV884gexj ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017Vote for the development of Uttar Pradesh forgetting all caste and creed: PM Modi at Parivartan rally in Lucknow #UPpolls pic.twitter.com/ZUMTNRDrSe ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017Have you ever seen BSP and SP together? When BSP says sun is rising SP will say sun is setting. But both agree on Modi hatao : PM Modi ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017 14:57(IST)Dalon ki rajneeti dalon tak seemit honi chahiye janata ke saath nahin honi chahiye: PM Narendra Modi in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/kZYS9v4PX9 ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017Unfortunate that development is not priority for the rulers here: PM Modi at Parivartan rally in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/lvA7Hyskqy ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017 14:54(IST) Watch LIVE telecast of Narendra Modi s rally in Lucknow This is Prime Minister s first rally of 2017 14:51(IST) Uttar Pradesh is an important cog in the wheel of development: Modi PM Modi urges people of Uttar Pradesh to get over caste issues and deal with real problems. No one can stop the state after that. All the governments that have ruled this state have put development on the backburner. Kya yehi khel khelte rahoge kya? Kuch log kehte hain BJP ka 14 saal ka vanvaas khatam hoga mudda BJP ke vanvaas ka nahin hai: PM Modi ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017Mudda 14 saal ke vanvaas ka nahin 14 saal ke liye Uttar Pradesh mein vikaas ka vanvaas ho gaya hai: PM Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/mAYPtVCJcM ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017Hindustan ka bhagya badalne ke liye pehli shart hai ki humein Uttar Pradesh ka bhaagya badalna padega: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/1KfgUQO3FN ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017 14:46(IST) BJP s 14 years exile will get over this year: Modi BJP was in power in Uttar Pradesh and fourteen years have passed. And people are saying that BJP s exile of 14 years will be over this year. But that s not what I am worried about. The problem is that for 14 years development also has been banished from the state. This is a chance for development to come back. 14:44(IST)Ye Lucknow ki dharti Atal ji ki karmabhoomi hai unke jaise anek mahapurushon ne apni jawani iss dharti par khapayi: PM Modi in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/O5meTZmtbu ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017 14:43(IST) Modi invokes Atal Bihar Vajpayee Today Atal ji whose pure sincerety and unwavering devotion towards the party has made us come till here. I salute him and other leaders of the party like him. 14:41(IST)मेरे पूरे ज वन क ल में मुझे इतन बड़ रैल क संब ध त करने क अवसर पहल ब र म ल है: प एम सुनें 02245014501 पर #ParivartanSeVijay pic.twitter.com/pvbGrhLNLZ BJP (@BJP4India) January 2 2017 14:40(IST) This is the biggest rally I have ever addressed: Modi Even during the run-up to the http://loop.frontiersin.org/people/400211/bio 2014 general elections I did not see such a massive rally. Thank you for coming. प एम म द लखनऊ में पर वर्तन मह रैल क संब ध त कर रहे हैं देखें https://t.co/jtwD1yPhm4 पर | सुनें 02245014501 पर #ParivartanSeVijay pic.twitter.com/9im8xwUEcf BJP (@BJP4India) January 2 2017 14:38(IST) Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins his address #WATCH Live via ANI FB: PM Narendra Modi addressing Parivartan rally in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) https://t.co/OM6u9zXR4e pic.twitter.com/9x9wkYNql9 ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017 14:36(IST) Not dangal but mangal is what UP citizens want: Rajnath Rajnath Singh urges the gathered crowd to make BJP victorious by 275 votes. There is a dangal going on in Uttar Pradesh but people of the state want mangal and not dangal says Rajnath. 14:30(IST) Massive turnout at Ramabai Ambedkar Grounds The BJP hopes that the rally held at the Ramabai Ambedkar grounds will see a turnout of over 10 lakh people double the capacity of the 80 acre ground. The party has arranged for over 15 000 buses to help supporters attend the rally PTI reported. In all likelihood the prime minister will raise the ongoing Samajwadi party feud in his address as he hopes to win the electorate of Uttar Pradesh in an election that is very crucial for the BJP in the next general elections more importantly as it desperately needs a majority in Rajya Sabha. In his rally today the Prime Minister is also likely to repeat his New Year Eve announcements as well. 14:26(IST) Under BJP development will do a ghar wapsi in Uttar Pradesh: Rajnath Attacking the SP and the BSP Rajnath says there has been no positive change in the state. Corruption in the state has increased by manifolds. When BJP was in power the state flourished but SP and BSP have banished development. Under BJP bhaiyon aur behnon development and honesty will make a ghar waapsi in Uttar Pradesh. HM Rajnath Singh speaking at BJP Parivartan Rally in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/4dEichxAji ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017 14:23(IST) Rajnath Singh says: Someone says it s a rally someone might say it is a grand rally but what I see is a huge ocean of people who want change in Uttar Pradesh. श्र @rajnathsingh लखनऊ में पर वर्तन मह रैल क संब ध त कर रहे हैं देखें https://t.co/jtwD1yPhm4 पर #ParivartanSeVijay pic.twitter.com/NJ8qLT5Wrh BJP (@BJP4India) January 2 2017 14:21(IST) After Amit Shah Rajnath Singh speaks in Lucknow Watch the Live telecast of Modi s speech 14:18(IST) Modi Rajnath on stage Uttar Pradesh: PM Narendra Modi at Parivartan rally in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) to address shortly pic.twitter.com/ALmLddGloG ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017 14:17(IST) BJP targets SP and BSPOnce we are in power people in both corrupt parties will be jailed. 14:15(IST) Watch the rally LIVE #WATCH Live via ANI FB: PM Narendra Modi at Parivartan rally in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) to address shortly https://t.co/OM6u9zXR4e ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017 14:14(IST) PM Modi arrives on stage From our Hindi live blog: प्रध नमंत्र नरेंद्र म द मंच पर पहुंचे. भ जप नेत ओं ने उनक ज रद र स्व गत क य . 14:10(IST) Amit Shah on SP feud Aajkal har roz UP mein alag alag tarah ke naatak logon ke saamne aa rahe hain ye dhyaan batane ke liye hai sirf: Amit Shah in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/lASmjJRFTL ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017 14:09(IST) Amit Shah in Lucknow BJP president Amit Shah urges people to throw out Samajwadi Party government and bring back BJP with full majority. 14:07(IST) Follow Modi s speech in Lucknow on Firstpost Hindi here 14:00(IST) Amit Shah attacks Samajwadi Party Amit Shah alleges that the policies of the government are not being implemented by the SP government fearing it will boost Modi s popularity. 2 1/2 saal mein hamare virodhi Modi ji ki sarkar par ek bhi bhrastachaar ka aarop nahi laga paaye hain: Amit Shah in Lucknow ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017Aajkal har roz UP mein alag alag tarah ke naatak logon ke saamne aa rahe hain ye dhyaan batane ke liye hai sirf: Amit Shah in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/lASmjJRFTL ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017 13:56(IST) Amit Shah attacks the Opposition on demonetisation Amit Shah says that the Opposition was questioning the PM for not fighting corruption but now after 8 November when the fight against corruption began it is asking why did it start the note ban. 13:50(IST) Land grabbers will be jailedAmit Shah says that land grabbers belonging to the SP will be in jail within one week of BJP coming to power. 13:49(IST) Amit Shah says SP not allowing development in UPAmit Shah speaking at the rally said that the prime minister is genuinely interested in developing UP. He added that the prime minister has alloted Rs one lakh rupees every year to the state. 13:21(IST) Build up to the rally लखनऊ में पर वर्तन मह रैल में उमड़ जनसैल ब #ParivartanSeVijay pic.twitter.com/cmJRcY8R7E BJP Uttar Pradesh (@BJP4UP) January 2 2017 13:18(IST) Amid Samajwadi Party feud pressure on BJP to win UP Debobrat Ghose writing for Firstpost quotes MD Nalapat There could be a possible alliance between Akhilesh and Rahul Gandhi and it ll be better for both. BJP s performance in the Assembly polls depends on the success of the demonetisation. So this split won t help the BJP . 13:10(IST) UP BJP in-charge Om Mathur on election Mathur says BJP s fight is not only against SP but also BSP. लखनऊ-यूप ब जेप प्रभ र ओम म थुर क बय न-हम र लड़ ई सप से नह ं पूर लखनऊ आज म द मय है बसप -सप मुक्त यूप बन न है @BJP4India @BJP4UP pic.twitter.com/zkMnqtAK6E ETV UP/UK (@ETVUPLIVE) January 2 2017 13:04(IST) More sops for the poor expected say reportsPrime Minister Narendra Modi could announce more sops ahead of the Uttar Pradesh polls. 12:57(IST) Crowd gathers for the big rally Massive gathering at Parivartan Maha Rally in Lucknow UP. #ParivartanSeVijay pic.twitter.com/kDK6mzmJVG BJP (@BJP4India) January 2 2017 12:53(IST) Crowd gathers at Prime Minister Modi s Lucknow Rally People gather at the Parivartan rally venue in Lucknow where PM Narendra Modi will make an address today. pic.twitter.com/qDnKQOJDjR ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017 12:51(IST) Samajwadi Party feud may be on Prime Minister Narendra Modi s radarThe ongoing factional conflict between the Akhilesh Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav camp could be the key focus of the prime minister s speech. 12:48(IST) Parivartan Rally after New Year s Eve speech Lucknow Rally comes after Prime Minister Modi announced a number of schemes for the urban and rural poor during his 31st speech. 12:39(IST) Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address a rally in LucknowThis is the first major political rally of 2017 which will kick start the countdown to the election in the crucial state of Uttar Pradesh. Load MoreLucknow: The Bharatiya Janata Party s (BJP) mega show Maha Parivartan rally the culmination of six similar rallies across Uttar Pradesh is all set to get underway here on Monday afternoon.People gather at the Parivartan rally venue in Lucknow where PM Narendra Modi will make an address today. pic.twitter.com/qDnKQOJDjR ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2 2017The Ramabai Sthal rally would be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi BJP president Amit Shah and Union Home Minister and local MP Rajnath Singh.The BJP has claimed an attendance of over 10 lakh people. Thousands of workers and party supporters were trickling in at the rally venue since morning.लखनऊ-PM @narendramodi क रैल मे उमड़ भ ड़ प्रदेश अध्यक्ष केशव प्रस द म र्य मह मंत्र संगठन सुन ल बंसल र त बहुगुण ज श समेत कई नेत म जूद pic.twitter.com/e1Ks0wPNjb ETV UP/UK (@ETVUPLIVE) January 2 2017प्रध नमंत्र श्र @narendramodi और श्र @AmitShah लखनऊ में पर वर्तन मह रैल क संब ध त करेंगें ल इव देखें https://t.co/e4xPPimwov पर pic.twitter.com/rrWyXhQv3f BJP (@BJP4India) January 2 2017प एम श्र @narendramodi के संब धन क सुनने के ल ए प्रदेश भर से भ जप क र्यकर्त समय से पहले सभ स्थल पर पहुंच चुके हैं: श्र @kpmaurya1 pic.twitter.com/y3ev0GwYSP BJP Uttar Pradesh (@BJP4UP) January 2 2017The party has also invited around 1.28 lakh booth level workers whom it plans to mobilise to turn public opinion in its favour for the forthcoming state assembly polls.प्रध नमंत्र श्र @narendramodi आज लखनऊ में पर वर्तन मह रैल करेंगे प्रध नमंत्र क सुनने के ल ए उमड़ रह है जनसैल ब pic.twitter.com/YwrMmuTeIf BJP Uttar Pradesh (@BJP4UP) January 2 2017This would be the first Modi rally in the state after the 50-day deadline on 30 December post the 8 November demonetisation announcement got over.First Published On : Jan 2 2017 15:24 IST ALLAHABAD: A large number of Bharatiya Janata Party and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists assembled at Ramghat on the banks of Ganga here on Sunday and prayed for the success of the party in the Assembly election. BJYM activists led by mahanagar vice-president Nanhu Pandit also urged party president Amit Shah to appoint state party chief Keshav Prasad Maurya as chief minister if the BJP wins elections. Pandit claimed that after the elevation of Phulpur MP Keshav Prasad Maurya as state BJP chief more and more youth are joining the party. He said that the credit must go to Maurya as young wing of the party is quite excited and determined to see BJP government in the state. The strength of youth workers in party has increased manifold especially from rural areas and people of all communities are supporting the party. The party workers sought the blessings of Maa Ganga for forming BJP government in the state. Meanwhile BJP and BJYM activists claimed that thousands of party workers would leave for Lucknow to attend the parivartan rally to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 2. Written by Ritika Chopra | Updated: January 3 2017 11:16 am Mulayam Singh Yadav along with Amar Singh and Jaya Prada leave for the Election Commission of India office in New Delhi on Monday. PTI photo What are the Election Commission s powers in a dispute over the election symbol in case a party splits? On the question of a split in a political party outside the legislature Para 15 of the Symbols Order 1968 states: When the Commission is satisfied that there are rival sections or groups of a recognised political party each of whom claims to be that party the Commission may after taking into account all the available facts and circumstances of the case and hearing (their) representatives and other persons as desire to be heard decide that one such rival section or group or none of such rival sections or groups is that recognised political party and the decision of the Commission shall be binding on all such rival sections or groups. Also read: Mulayam Singh Yadav may use this trump card to outdo Akhilesh Yadav This applies to disputes in recognised national and state parties. For splits in registered but unrecognised parties the EC usually advises the warring factions to resolve their differences internally or to approach the court. And how did the EC deal with such matters before the Symbols Order came into effect? Before 1968 the poll panel issued notifications and executive orders under the Conduct of Election Rules 1961. The most high-profile split of a party before 1968 was that of the Communist Party of India in 1964. A breakaway group approached the ECI in December 1964 urging it to recognise them as CPI(Marxist). They provided a list of MPs and MLAs of Andhra Pradesh Kerala and West Bengal who supported them. The ECI recognised the faction as CPI(M) after it found that the votes secured by the MPs and MLAs supporting the breakaway group added up to more than 4% in the 3 states. OK what was the first case decided under Para 15 of the 1968 Order? It was the first split in the Indian National Congress in 1969. Indira Gandhi s tensions with a rival group within the party came to a head with the death of President Dr Zakir Hussain on May 3 1969. The Congress old guard led by K Kamaraj Neelam Sanjiva Reddy S Nijalingappa and Atulya Ghosh known as the Syndicate nominated Reddy for the post. Indira who was the Prime Minister encouraged Vice-President VV Giri to contest as an Independent and called for a conscience vote in defiance of the whip issued by party president Nijalingappa. After Giri won Indira was expelled from the Congress and the party split into the old Congress (O) led by Nijalingappa and the new Congress (J) led by Indira. The old Congress retained the party symbol of a pair of bullocks carrying a yoke; the breakaway faction was given the symbol of a cow with its calf. Is there a way other than the test of majority to resolve a dispute over election symbols? In almost all disputes decided by the EC so far a clear majority of party delegates/office bearers MPs and MLAs have supported one of the factions. Whenever the EC could not test the strength of rival groups based on support within the party organisation (because of disputes regarding the list of office bearers) it fell back on testing majority only among elected MPs and MLAs. Only in the case of the split in the AIADMK in 1987 which happened after the death of M G Ramachandran the EC was faced with a peculiar situation. The group led by MGR s wife Janaki had the support of the majority of MPs and MLAs while J Jayalalithaa was supported by a substantial majority in the party organisation. But before the EC was forced to make a decision on which group should retain the party symbol a rapprochement was reached. What happens to the group that doesn t get the parent party s symbol? In the case of the first Congress split the EC recognised both the Congress (O) as well as the breakaway faction whose president was Jagjivan Ram. The Congress (O) had a substantial presence in some states and satisfied the criteria fixed for recognition of parties under Paras 6 and 7 of the Symbols Order. This principle was followed up to 1997. However things changed when the Commission dealt with the cases of splits in the Congress Janata Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party. The disputes led to the creation of Himachal Vikas Congress Manipur State Congress West Bengal Trinamool Congress Rashtriya Janata Dal Biju Janata Dal etc. The EC in 1997 did not recognise the new parties as either state or national parties. It felt that merely having MPs and MLAs is not enough as the elected representatives had fought and won polls on tickets of their parent (undivided) parties. The EC introduced a new rule under which the splinter group of the party other than the group that got the party symbol had to register itself as separate party and could lay claim to national or state party status only on the basis of its performance in state or central elections after registration. So can the EC decide the dispute over the SP symbol before the UP elections? It is unlikely. EC hearings are long and detailed and may take http://servicesnots.thezenweb.com/ at least six months. However the panel may in the interim freeze the party symbol and provide ad hoc recognition to the two factions under names similar to the parent party. The factions will be asked to contest on different symbols. For example the EC had through an interim order recognised the Indian National Congress (I) and Indian National Congress (U) during the second split in the Congress in 1979. Similarly in 1980 it recognised the Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Party temporarily after the Janata Party split. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Monday equated the ongoing http://pregame.com/members/turnoffantiviz/userbio/default.aspx feud in the Samajwadi Party with the Indian epic Mahabharata and expressed hope that the unfortunate conflict within the family is resolved at the earliest. We can call it a jumla also. It is very unfortunate although. It reminds me of Mahabharata. It is just like what Yadavs did in Dwarka after winning. It feels the same now said Swamy. It is very unfortunate. Mulayam Singh is very dear to me and I know Akhilesh since the time he was a young boy. From a fair point of view what has happened is unfortunate. The conflict should be resolved and the family should reunite he added. Hinting towards the advantage Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav enjoys in the upcoming elections Swamy said the young generation would prefer him. Akhilesh has the advantage of young generation. It is my claim that public will prefer him he said. Commenting on the election symbol row Swamy said The matter will at least stretch for six months. The Supreme Court will ask for documents membership list etc. According to me the Supreme Court will freeze the symbol owing to elections approaching. Amid the ongoing pari-war in the Samajwadi Party Akhilesh who has been declared the party president and party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav are expected to approach the Election Commission separately today to stake claim for the party s cycle symbol. The Samajwadi Party split on Sunday with a national convention declaring Akhilesh the new national president a post that was held by his father. The convention also made Mulayam the patron of the party. As the day progressed the fight between the rival factions turned ugly with supporters of the two groups fighting for the party office. However Akhilesh justified the turn of events in the party even as he admitted that he had taken a tough decision. Sometimes to protect the ones you love you must make the right decision. What I did today was a tough decision but one that I had to take he tweeted. The Chief Minister after being proposed as the national president said his respect for his father was more than ever adding that he would stand against those conspiring against the party. ALSO READ High voltage drama going on in SP to hide UP CM Akhilesh failure: BJP People s faith in Samajwadi Party will lead to victory in UP elections: Shivpal Yadav Ram Gopal expelled: Shivpal manipulated Netaji s letter Coup in Samajwadi Party Ramgopal Yadav demands that Akhilesh Yadav be made president Shivpal Yadav sacked: This development will neither harm nor weaken SP says Azam Khan Reacting to the ongoing tussle within the Samajwadi Party the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday called the fiasco a political drama to hide the administrative failure of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav adding that the people of the state will not get fooled by the tactics applied. It is a high voltage drama by the Samajwadi Party and Akhilesh s administration has been a failure as he has not done anything for the development of the state BJP Uttar Pradesh state president Keshav Prasad Maurya told ANI. Maurya said the party has done this drama for six months and they would never be able to succeed in it.Echoing similar sentiments BJP MP from Gorakhpur Yogi Adityanath called the Samajwadi Party dispute as a cover up to hide the failures of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. Just to cover his failures and giving clean chit to the Chief Minister and to develop the image the political dram has been played by the Samajwadi Party he told ANI.Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav earlier in the day again expelled party general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav for six years from the party terming the National Executive meet called by him as unconstitutional and illegal . This meet was called without consulting the national secretary of the party and the proposal passed in it is illegal. Stringent action will be taken against the people involved in it said the letter issued by Mulayam.Mulayam announced that the list of candidates issued by him earlier is the final list of the candidates contesting elections in upcoming assembly election and said that the remaining list will be announced soon.Earlier in the day Ram http://www.instructables.com/member/wifiroutersvrtr/ Gopal called on party leaders and workers to declare Akhilesh https://growthhackers.com/members/mehndidesignsz as the president of the party and unseat his father Mulayam from that position.In a statement that suggested that the Samajwadi Party may be heading for a split or for Mulayam to make way for Akhilesh at the top of the party hierarchy Ram Gopal addressing a party convention at the Janeshwar Mishra Park here said the National Executive of the Samajwadi Party also wants Shivpal Yadav to be removed as president of the party s Uttar Pradesh unit and the sacking of Amar Singh immediately.Ram Gopal and Akhilesh were reinstated in the party yesterday a day after they were ousted from the party for six years over indisciplinary grounds.(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Following the 30 December removal of Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu and his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Akhilesh Yadav from their parties which made it untenable for the two to hold office and the 31 December re-induction of the latter Indian politics in the new year has opened on a tumultuous note. While making political predictions is usually a fool s errand these developments drive home the point that 2017 could be a big year politically. And a careful look at the year gone by can at least provide some pointers to how the political scene may shape up over the next 12 months. First the opposition s search for able leadership to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led ruling coalition at the Centre will continue although it is difficult to say if it will gain any serious momentum. The assembly elections of 2017 first in UP Punjab and Uttarakhand then Manipur and Goa and finally in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh will provide some clues. UP which sends the largest delegation to the Lok Sabha and where the BJP is expected to put up a tough fight against the Samajwadi Party (SP) government will be the centre of attention. There was talk that the Congress may ally with the SP to stave off the BJP but that s been written off for the moment. However given the uncertainty on the ground the equation may change quickly.The Congress may have marginally better prospects in Punjab where the BJP s ally the Shiromani Akali Dal is facing strong anti-incumbency sentiment. However here too the Congress has failed to take ownership of the opposition space. First-timer Aam Aadmi Party which showed promise initially is also struggling as dissatisfaction grows within its rank and file not just in Punjab but also in Goa.As this newspaper noted last week it has been more than two years since the principal opposition s position was vacated by the BJP and it still lies vacant. The ruling coalition is now half-way through its term and ideally by this time the opposition should have been able to project some sort of an alternative. Look at how the past two election cycles have played out: In 2004-09 the opposition was largely rudderless and uninspiring and failed to challenge the ruling coalition which emerged stronger in its second term. Between 2009 and 2014 however the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) lost its way while the BJP got its act together leveraging UPA-II s many corruption scandals.In 2016 Prime Minister Narendra Modi s currency swap measure which has the debate over its long-term effects aside certainly inconvenienced the general public was a litmus test of sorts for the opposition. It was an opportunity to show its disparate parts could cohere to mount an effective challenge. But so far at least opposition leaders have failed to capitalize on it effectively.Meanwhile the BJP also with its eye on 2019 is working to go beyond its traditional support base. Its biggest fight will of course be in UP where the party hopes to benefit from fishing in the SP s muddy waters. But Modi s currency swap which hit the BJP s trading community core and his face-off with right-wing hardliners on cow vigilantism indicate that the party is even willing to take some risks to reach out to a larger cross-section of voters. Notably in 2016 the party made progress in Kerala and scripted an impressive victory in Assam which must be seen alongside the BJP s larger push into the North-East. The BJP is also a rising force in Manipur it did well in last year s municipal elections and has brought influential local leaders into its fold in addition to mediating from New Delhi in the state s ongoing crisis.But even as the party seeks to expand its footprint it cannot afford to ignore its existing bastions: Punjab will be the main challenge here but also Goa post-Manohar Parrikar to a lesser extent. Additionally the party will also be looking to form governments in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand where it has generally alternated power with the Congress. It will also have to pay some attention to its stronghold in Gujarat where it has struggled to find an able replacement for Modi since he moved to Delhi.Finally it will be interesting to see if 2017 brings a generational change in Indian politics. One episode of this transition is already playing out in UP where Akhilesh Yadav has been fighting a very public battle against his father Mulayam Singh Yadav and uncle Shivpal Yadav and has emerged the victor in the expulsion drama. In Punjab the ageing chief minister Parkash Singh Badal may choose to pass the baton to his son and deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.In Tamil Nadu both the major regional parties the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) have leadership concerns. Following J. Jayalalithaa s death her confidante V.K. Sasikala has taken over as AIADMK chief but her equation with chief minister O. Panneerselvam is unclear. At the DMK headquarters an ailing M. Karunanidhi is still the boss while his son and heir M.K. Stalin waits in the wings even to be appointed working president. Back in Delhi Rahul Gandhi is still unprepared to take over the reins from his mother even as the Congress party continues to fail to arrest its decline.And then there is the question of Modi himself. Usually as governments enter the second half of their terms they either go into a holding pattern or opt for populism both with an eye on the next election. But if the opposition continues to fail to take the fight to him Modi may choose more vigorous governance and that could disrupt prior calculations.How do you think Indian politics will shape up in 2017? Tell us at views@livemint.comLivemintTopics: electionsUttar PradeshAkhilesh YadavSamajwadi PartyTamil Nadu