UP CM to be decided tomorrow

Lucknow, Mar 9: The Samajwadi Party, which won a spectacular majority in the assembly elections, on Friday did nothing to dispel the raging speculation over who would be the next chief minister with leaders merely saying that the issue will be decided on Saturday.

"We don't have anything to say today. The legislature party will meet tomorrow where the leader will be chosen. All MLAs and MPs will take part in the meeting," party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav told reporters here.

On his part, Mulayam's son and state party chief Akhilesh Yadav added to the suspense today by evading questions on the chief ministership.

Ever since the election results were out on Tuesday, there has been speculation as to who would be the chief minister. A section of party leaders want Akhilesh as the new CM, crediting with the party's change of fortunes with his spirited campaign before and during the elections.

However, some senior leaders are said to be having some reservations about this demand. The issue also reportedly cropped up at the meeting of the party parliamentary board on Wednesday but no final decision was taken.

After the finalisation of CM's name, the date of oath taking ceremony would be decided.

Before the elections there was speculation that if the Samajwadi Party were to fall short of majority, then the Congress could support the party in forming the government and Mulayam could become a minister at the Centre. But now that the party has got a majority on its own, the SP may be forced to take a decision on its strategy in the state, observers say.

The SP got a majority in the state assembly by securing 224 seats out of the total 403 seats.

PTI