On the choice of support for presidential election nominees, the Samajwadi Party is a divided house once again.

While on the one hand party chief Akhilesh Yadav has asked his MLAs to vote for Opposition candidate Meira Kumar, on the other, party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and his brother Shivpal Yadav are likely to back NDA's nominee Ram Nath Kovind.

The differences have surfaced months after infighting in the Samajwadi Party top brass between former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal eventually led to the removal of Mulayam from the post of the party's national president in January. While Mulayam threw his weight behind brother Shivpal, Akhilesh got the support of uncle Ram Gopal Yadav.

Samajwadi Party spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary said, "Akhilesh Yadav had instructed party MLAs to vote for Kumar."

The former Lok Sabha Speaker, during a day's visit to Lucknow on Friday, met Akhilesh at the party office before meeting BSP supremo Mayawati to seek votes.

AKHILESH FACTION BACKS MEIRA KUMAR

"Meira Kumar visited the Samajwadi Party headquarters and met Akhilesh and SP MLAs to seek their support. Akhilesh has asked SP MLAs to vote for Kumar," Chaudhary said.

Another Samajwadi Party leader and leader of opposition in Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Ram Govind Chaudhary said, "Everyone should support Kumar."

Meanwhile, Shivpal's loyalist Deepak Mishra, though not a voter, said, "We pledge open support to Kovind".

He thanked Prime Minister Modi for his selection.

Mulayam's vote for Kovind became a foregone conclusion the very day he openly described him as a "strong candidate".

KOVIND IS A GOOD CANDIDATE: MULAYAM

"Ram Nath Kovind is a good candidate. I have a very old relation with him. BJP has selected a strong candidate. The most important thing is that the BJP has a majority", Mulayam had said last month.

Shivpal, too, had said that he would do as advised by his brother.

"Netaji (Mulayam) jo kahenge wahi hoga" (Whatever netaji says will happen)", he said.

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's last visit to Lucknow on June 20, Mulayam had met him at a dinner hosted by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, sending clear signals that he would back the NDA nominee.

Significantly, the dinner was skipped by Akhilesh and Mayawati, who are supporting the Opposition's candidate.

(WITH INPUTS FROM PTI)

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