Nirendra Dev
New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and veteran BJP leader L K Advani and also President Draupadi Murmu
have condoled the demise of former UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Mulayam always knew the art of making news.
In 2014 when a major row triggered after a Ghar Wapsi programme (re-conversion of minorities
to Hinduism) in Agra, Mulayam had stunned the Lok Sabha when he said a mountain was being made by
other opposition parties. “Agra mein kucch nahi ho raha hae…,” he had said.
other opposition parties. “Agra mein kucch nahi ho raha hae…,” he had said.
In 2012, it is said he had played a key role in forcing Congress party to accept Pranab Mukherjee as
the presidential candidate. In 2002, he had supported BJP’s bid to make nuke scientist Dr APJ Abdul
Kalam to become President.
Stating that he was “deeply saddened” at the passing away of former UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh
Yadav, BJP patriarch L K Advani on Monday said while they were “ideologically very different” but they
had mutual respect for each other.
“In my long association with Mulayam ji, I specially recall my many interactions with him during the Ram
Janmabhoomi Movement. Although we were ideologically very different, the mutual respect that we shared
will always be cherished by me,” veteran Advani said in his condolence message.
“I am deeply saddened to condole the passing away of Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and founder of the Samajwadi Party. A stalwart of Indian politics and a grassroots leader, Mulayam Singh ji endeared
himself to the masses by working tirelessly for the upliftment of the weaker sections and thus contributing immensely in the development of the state of Uttar Pradesh,” Advani stated.
Mr Advani further says, “Mulayam Singh ji’s demise has left a huge void in the political arena. His dynamic
persona will continue to inspire many generations of Indians. May his soul rest in peace. My heartfelt
condolences to members of his family and admirers. Om Shanti.”
It may be mentioned that during the peak of Ayodhya’s Ram Temple movement and Advani’s now famous
Rath Yatra, as the UP Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav had taken a hard stance and threatened to arrest
him before the Yatra entered Uttar Pradesh.
This made the then Prime Minister V P Singh harden his stance and subsequently Bihar Chief Minister
Lalu Prasad was directed by the centre to arrest Advani.
Mulayam Singh Yadav was in Janata Dal briefly but during the height of Mandal politics, he floated Samajwadi
Party and later developed differences with V P Singh, who also hailed from India’s largest state.
Glimpses of ‘mutual respect’ between Advani and Mulayam Singh Yadav often made news.
Once in a meeting of Samajwadi Party leaders and workers, Mulayam Singh Yadav had reportedly reprimanded
his son and Uttar Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav about some governance issues.
“Yeh mujhe Advani ji ne kaha hae, Advaniji kabhi jhoot nahi boltey (This is what Shri Advani ji had told me;
Advaniji will never tell me something without basis),” Mulayam had said leaving his son and other Samajwadi
Party leaders surprised.
‘Mulayam denied Prime Ministership to Sonia’
In his condolence message among other things, Prime Minister Narendra Modi
recalled his personal association with the former socialist leader and tweeted
“I had many interactions with Mulayam Singh Yadav Ji when we served as Chief Ministers
recalled his personal association with the former socialist leader and tweeted
“I had many interactions with Mulayam Singh Yadav Ji when we served as Chief Ministers
of our respective states. The close association continued and I always looked forward to
hearing his views”.
Notably, in 2019 – Feb 13th — the last day of the 14th Lok Sabha, Mulayam Singh Yadav had
admitted that the opposition parties would fail to win as many seats to oust Modi from power.
“Hum log toh itna bahumat mein nahi aa sakte haen, Pradhan mantri ji aap phir pradhan mantri baney
(We cannot win as many seats to come to power. Mr Prime Minister, you will again become Prime Minister),”
(We cannot win as many seats to come to power. Mr Prime Minister, you will again become Prime Minister),”
Yadav had said in Lok Sabha making the most surprising political remark of circa 2019.
With UPA stalwart Sonia Gandhi on his side, Mulayam Singh Yadav sprang a major surprise and certainly
had left Sonia Gandhi and perhaps also NCP lawmaker Supriya Sule were left surprised.
The well televised episode in Lok Sabha saw PM Modi had acknowledged Mulayam’s ‘blessings and good wishes’ and also reciprocated to the Samajwadi Party leader with folded hands.
ends
About Writer
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Nirendra Dev is an Independent writer.
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