UP Assembly Elections 2017: Mulayam heads split SP ahead of elections

Mulayam has decided to support his brother in the power struggle and he has staked claim before the Election Commission of India for the party symbol ‘cycle’.

Mulayam Singh Yadav, the founder of Samajwadi Party, is a force to reckon with in the electorally important state of the Uttar Pradesh. With SP split into two groups struggling to gain control, it was thought Mulayam would bring about truce. However, Mulayam has not been able to bring together his son and the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav and his brother Shivpal Yadav together.

Mulayam has decided to support his brother in the power struggle and he has staked claim before the Election Commission of India for the party symbol 'cycle'. Here is more on the the SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav:

Date of birth: 22nd November 1939.

Family: Name of Mulayam's father is Sughar Singh and his mother is Murti Devi. Mulayam is twice married and has two sons. Akhilesh his elder son is CM of UP and younger son Prateek is into real estate business.

Education: BA from Karm Kshetra Post Graduate College, Etawah, BT from A K College in Shikohabad and MA in political science from B R College, Agra University.

Political Career: He has been groomed by Ram Manohar Lohia and Raj Narain.

He was first elected to UP legislative assembly in 1967.

He became part of state cabinet in the year 1977.

In 1980 he became president of Lok Dal which later became part of the Janata Dal.

From 1982 to 1985 he was the leader of opposition in UP legislative assembly.

He has been the chief minister of the state from 1989 to 1991 and then from 1993 to 1995 and lastly from 2003 to 2007.

He has also served as defence minister from 1996 to 1998.

Presently he is Lok Sabha MP from Azamgarh.

Controversies: Mulayam has often got involved in controversies once on Women's Reservation Bill he had said that rural women will not benefit from it as it is always women from affluent classes who live up to their dreams and not women from poor background as they are not attractive enough.

He had once also claimed that UP had the lowest number of rape incidents. On rapists getting capital punishment he had said that boys will be boys they commit mistakes. He had also once said that when the relationship between girls and boys come out in open it is termed as rape.

He was also criticised for organising a mega event in Saifai as riot hit families in Muzaffarnagar suffered.

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