E-Paper
Keeping politics aside, Samajwadi Party celebrates Mulayam birthday
Politics of change sweeping country, the youth will usher in change, says Mulayam on his birthday in Lucknow
Sidestepping all politics in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh for the day, the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Monday celebrated the 82nd birthday of party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav statewide.
Addressing the party cadres during the main event held at the SP state headquarters in Lucknow, Mulayam Singh Yadav said, “Politics of change is sweeping the country, the youth will usher in change. The enthusiasm of you all will ring in that change.”
“I am very thankful that all of you invited me and (are) celebrating my birthday. I want the birthdays of the poorer people, too, should be celebrated. Invite me over for such birthdays, I will try to come,” Mulayam further said.
His son and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav didn’t deliver any speech on the occasion.
No political activities, joining (of leaders from other parties), or alliance announcements happened on the day contrary to earlier speculation that Akhilesh will join hands with his estranged uncle Shivpal Yadav and his party, the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia (PSP-L), on the occasion.
On November 3, Akhilesh Yadav had declared the intent to try and forge an alliance with PSP-L. He had made the politically significant comment in his ancestral village Saifai (Etawah) ahead of the 2022 UP assembly polls.
PSP-L also celebrated Mulayam’s birthday at their Lucknow headquarters and other districts. Mulayam’s younger brother Shivpal Yadav reached Saifai, held the birthday celebrations, cut a cake and organised a dangaal (wrestling competition) there.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, defence minister and Lucknow MP Rajnath Singh, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, and many other top politicians in the country tweeted their birthday wishes to Mulayam.
The SP celebrated Mulayam’s birthday in all the districts of Uttar Pradesh. At the Lucknow SP headquarters, the party leaders had arranged for two 82 kg laddoos, one 51 kg laddoo, and several cakes which Mulayam cut with Akhilesh and party leaders at the event held at the open-air stage and the main lawns of the office. A song specially created for Mulayam birthday played intermittently throughout the celebrations. The party workers and leaders across the state also organised the distribution of fruits and blood donation. In Lucknow, 82 party workers donated blood.
Senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP and UP incharge Sanjay Singh called on Mulayam at his residence in the morning and greeted him with bouquets.
Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) state president Masood Ahmed and RLD national secretary Anil Dubey attended the birthday celebrations at the SP state headquarters. Both RLD and SP have said that the two parties will announce their alliance for the 2022 UP assembly polls soon.
Mulayam Singh Yadav was born to Murti Devi and Sughar Singh on November 22, 1939, in Saifai village of Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh. His cousin Ramgopal Yadav, brother Shivpal Yadav, son Akhilesh Yadav, nephews Dharmendra Yadav and Akshaya Yadav, daughter-in-law Dimple Yadav, and grandnephew Tej Pratap Singh Yadav are in politics.
Mulayam founded the Samajwadi Party in 1992 and turned it into a major regional political party.
His entry into politics had its origin in a wrestling match. Mulayam was participating in a match in Mainpuri and impressed Nathu Singh, the then MLA of Jaswantnagar in Mainpuri, with his skills and resilience. Nathu Singh picked up Mulayam as his protege in politics and in 1967 fielded his as the candidate on his Jaswantnagar assembly seat on the Sanyukta Socialist Party ticket and himself shifted to another constituency.
Mulayam Singh Yadav has been the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh thrice: 1989-91, 1993-95 and 2003-2007. He also served as the defence minister in the United Front government from 1996 to 1998.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended birthday wishes to former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday morning. In a tweet in Hindi, Modi said: “Birthday greetings to former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav ji. He has made a significant contribution to the politics of the country. I wish him a healthy and long life.”
Defence minister Rajnath Singh too wished the veteran politician and said on Twitter: “Heartiest birthday greetings and best wishes to former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Mulayam Singh Yadavji. I wish him good health and long life.”
UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, in his tweet in Hindi, wrote: “Heartiest greetings and best wishes to the former UP chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav ji. I pray to Lord Ram for your good health and long life.” Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya wished a long and healthy life for the SP patriarch on Koo.
