Mulayam cycles his way to relive PM dream on screen

Sarthi, often identified with Lord Krishna as the charioteer of Arjun in the Mahabharata, is also the title of the documentary on Mulayam Singh Yadav. Though, it’s difficult to relate the film with its title.

Sarthi, often identified with Lord Krishna as the charioteer of Arjun in the Mahabharata, is also the title of the documentary on Mulayam Singh Yadav. Though, it’s difficult to relate the film with its title.

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The 30 minute documentary – sponsored by Samajwadi Party (SP) Rajya Sabha member Kironmoy Nanda makes no bones about Yadav’s prime ministerial ambitions, also showing Bihar strongman Lalu Prasad as having stymied the possibility of Yadav’s elevation to the coveted post after the fall of the HD Deve Gowda government in April 1997.

“The time has again come for political parties with socialist ideologies to assume their historic role by assuming power at the Centre. I have held several rounds of talks with senior leaders of the Left parties to discuss possibilities of a “Third Alternative”. I discussed the matter with CPM general secretary Prakash Karat today itself”, Yadav said after the screening of the documentary.

Bytes of political leaders, including Sharad Yadav, Prakash Karat, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Atul Anjaan — showering praise on Yadav’s commitment to the socialist ideology — have been shown in the short film, directed by one Shankar Suhel.

The film’s central theme is unmistakable: “Yadav’s commitment towards Muslims, backwards and women”. Clips of the SP’s stout resistance to the BJP’s Ayodhya movement are prominently played up.

Yadav himself has been quoted in the documentary as saying: “It is not about personal ambitions. My politics is about keeping ‘communal forces’ out of power.

The documentary is planned to be shown all around Uttar Pradesh.