Terming Amar Singh as a part of history, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday made it evident that the exit of his one-time blue-eyed party general secretary would not affect the party.
Reacting to a barrage of queries related to Amar Singh's resignation, Yadav said: "Why
do you talk about the past? I never believe in looking back. Think about what lies ahead and not history."
He, however, declined to give a direct reply to pointed queries regarding Amar Singh, whom he had given such a free hand that it caused heartburn among Yadav's long-time colleagues and committed socialists in the party.
Yet significantly, the SP supremo looked more relaxed compared to a few days ago when he was mulling over Amar Singh's resignation, submitted to the party Jan 6.
The way he went about skirting and parrying questions on his one-time closest confidant made it clear that Amar Singh was a closed chapter for him.
"However much you may try, you are not going to get anything more from me on this issue. Yes, I can assure you that some of your queries would get answered tomorrow when I will lead a huge demonstration in protest against the rise in prices and escalation in crime across the state," he said.
In fact, he preferred to focus all his attention on the state-wide demonstrations to be staged by SP activists at all district headquarters Tuesday.
"I strongly feel that both the state and the central governments were equally responsible for the price rise that has broken the back of the common man.
"What was even more serious was that rapes were on the rise," he said. "But the culprits were going scot free because of their deep roots in the (ruling) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)."
Referring to cold wave related deaths across the state, Yadav sought to point out: "Let me tell you that those reported to be breathing their last due to acute winter chill are actually dying on account of hunger."