Samajwadi Party War: Mulayam Singh's Poll Journey in Symbols

File photo of Mulayam Singh Yadav. (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: As Samajwadi Party patriarch told party workers that he will field candidates against rebelling son Akhilesh Yadav’s candidates in the state assembly polls slated to begin next month, we explore the 50-year-old political journey of Mulayam Singh Yadav and how he contested elections on six different symbols.

Bayan tree : In 1967, mulayam debuted from jaswantnagar as a samyukta socialist party (ssp) candidate on the “banyan tree’ symbol. in the 1969 d-term elections, he contested again as an ssp candidate, but lost

Also read: Akhilesh Hobnobbing with BJP, Has Turned Muslims Against SP: Mulayam

Famer walking with plough: In 1974, mulayam contested on a bhartiya kranti dal ticket from jaswantnagar, and won. the symbol was also used in 1980, when mulayam contested on a ticket by janata party (secular), led by chaudhary charan singh. this time, mulayam lost

Chakra haldhar: In 1977, Mulayam Singh contested on a Janata Party ticket from Jaswantnagar. he left janta party in 1980 and returned in 1991, successfully contesting election on the same symbol

Farmer ploughing field with a pair of oxen:  in 1985, Mulayam contested on a Lok Dal ticket from Jaswantnagar and won

Wheel with 6 spokes in green background: In 1989 assembly elections saw the formation of janta dal. Mulayam contested again from Jaswantnagar and won

Bicycle: Since the formation samajwadi party in october 1992, mulayam has been contested elections on the bicycle symbol