Mulayam Singh, Veteran Politician, Founder of Samajwadi party dies at 82

Mulayam Singh Yadav had been critical for days and had been on life-saving drugs at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. He was to turn 83 in six weeks.

mulayam singh yadav dies samajwadi party

The Veteran politician, founder of Samajwadi party, Mulayam Singh dies at 82 while undergoing a treatment at Medanta hospital in Gurugram. His son, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav, confirmed his father’s death on Twitter.

Mulayam Singh Yadav had been critical for days and had been on life-saving drugs at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. He was to turn 83 in six weeks.

Akhilesh Yadav

Akhilesh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party leader and son of Mulayam Singh’s son said, “My respected father and everyone’s Neta-ji has died.” He was fondly called as Netaji by everyone including his son.

Political career of Mulayam Singh

Mulayam Singh Yadav was born on November 22, 1939. He first became an MLA in 1967. During his second term as MLA, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared the Emergency and Mulayam Singh, like many opposition leaders, went to jail.

Mulayam Singh was elected 10 times as an MLA and seven times as Lok Sabha MP. For a while, he was even seen as a candidate for Prime Minister. He was one of Uttar Pradesh’s top politicians. Mulayam Singh was also Union Defence Minister in 1996-98.

Wrestler

A former wrestler, Mulayam Singh was known to be a shrewd  politician . He never hesitated to strike deals even if it is with his bitter rivals. He joined hands with Mayawati’s BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party), BJP or Congress to come into power.

Coup

He founded the Samajwadi Party in 1992. In 1996, when opposition parties tried to form a non-BJP alternative to the Congress, Mulayam Singh was one of the candidates for PM. However, his son , Akhilesh Yadav became the chief of the party in 2017 after a coup.

Tributes

Tributes have been pouring in for the departed leader.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote, ”Mulayam Singh Yadav’s death pains me; he was a remarkable personality and was widely admired as a humble and grounded leader.He was a remarkable personality, widely admired as a humble and grounded leader.” PM Modi said as Defence Minister, Mulayam Singh worked for a stronger India. “His Parliamentary interventions were insightful.”

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said he felt deep sorrow and announced three-day state mourning in the state.

Though Mulayam Singh Yadav was not active in politics for a while, still he was counted as one of the strong opposition forces in the country.

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