Mulayam elected SP legislature party leader

Lucknow, May 13: Samajwadi Party supremo and outgoing Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav was today elected as leader of SP's legislature party.

Mr Yadav was elected by newly-elected MLAs of the SP, which received a drubbing at the hands of Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party and forced from power in the just-concluded assembly polls.

The crucial meeting took place this morning, few hours ahead of the oath taking ceremony of Ms Mayawati as the next Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

With SP emerging as the second largest party in the 15th Assembly, the party is set to become the principal Opposition, with Mr Yadav donning the mantle of of Leader of the Opposition.

While BSP bagged 206 seats, the SP managed 97 seats.

Mr Yadav was elected from Bharthana (Etawah) and Gunnaur (Badaun) assembly seats. He will have to decide within a fortnight which seat to retain.

UNI