Amar Singh on election day: I will always respect Mulayam Singh ji

Expelled Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Amar Singh came to cast his vote at Surya Nagar with his family members on Saturday.

Expelled Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Amar Singh came to cast his vote at Surya Nagar with his family members on Saturday. Singh, who was seen as the main cause of rift between UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and his father Mulayam Singh Yadav, said the son disrespected the father and the message has gone to every household in Uttar Pradesh.

Expelled Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh (right) with Mulayam Singh (centre) and Akhilesh Yadav (left). (HT File)

“In this entire scenario, the son dethroned the father and gained prime place in the party organisation. SP has damaged my image now. I have been ousted from SP twice, once by the father and once by the son,” Singh said.

Singh declined to comment about the candidate for whom he voted.

“I will not name for whom I voted. But, I voted for people who have maintained their image. But, communal forces are getting defeated in UP. Those who tried to divide Hindu-Muslims, those who gave disputed statements are getting defeated by public in UP. The state, I think, is getting a new political message,” he said.

Singh said he will always respect Mulayam Singh ji. “I have not lost, my morality has won. I have never left anyone in bad times.” He said he never had political relations with Mulayam as their connection is personal.

Speaking about the SP-Congress alliance, Singh said he would be in favour of it only if Mulayam wanted it.

“After this alliance, the Congress should have given respect to Mulayam Singh ji. Mulayam Singh ji struggled hard to make the party. But the way he has been disrespected... this is Uttar Pradesh, it is in our culture to respect father and mother,” Singh said.

The other politician who came to vote in Ghaziabad was Aam Aadmi Party leader Kumar Vishwas. He cast his vote the polling centre near his house in Vasundhara.

“We have a small organisation and we contested only in smaller states like Punjab and Goa. But, some of our leaders are from UP. It is heartening to see that polling percentage has increased over years. Now, dynasty, family and all such politics will move away from UP,” he said.

He said it has not become difficult to gauge the undercurrent as voters have become more aware.