When Mulayama Singh-a people’s leader expelled his Chief Minister son Akhilesh Yadav

New Delhi, Oct 10: Samajwadi Party (SP) founder and three-time Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav passed away after a prolonged illness at a hospital in Gurugram on October 10. He had been on life support systems for quite a few days. Termed as a pillar of socialism, his death has been mourned by millions of people from across the political parties.

Popularly referred as 'Netaji' by people, Mulayam Singh also served as the country's Defence Minister between 1996 and 1998 in the United Front government at the Centre. He had been a distinguished political figure in UP and national politics and was a key soldier for democracy during the emergency imposed by India Gandhi and spent 19 months in custody.

Started his life as a wrestler, Mulayam Singh emerged as a key figure in UP politics after emergency. And in late 1980s and early 1990s, he became the main face of the opposition in and outside his state, when nationwide protests and movements took place over the recommendations of the Mandal Commission, which was set up to identify the socially and educationally backward classes in the country. Mandal Commission catapulted Mulayam Singh's image and soon he emerged as a stalwart in the Hindi belt and never looked back.

Mulayam Singh Yadav first made it to the assembly in 1967 and then in 1974, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1996. He was also elected to the Lok Sabha seven times. Yadav first became Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1989, second time in 1993 and third time in 2003.

His first term as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh was marked by the politics of Mandal and Mandir, when in 1990, he ordered a police firing on Kar Sewaks marching to Ayodhya for a grand Ram temple, which killed 16 people. This firing brought Muslims closer to Yadavas and the beginning of Muslim-Yadav axis became a buzz word in north Indian politics and a potent combination even in the neighbouring state of Bihar.

When Mulayam Singh again returned as Chief Minister of UP in 2003, his partnership with Amar Singh came in limelight, which was a unique confluence of alliances and ideologies, metamorphosing party's thinking and lines. Now, Mulayam Singh was regularly seen in the company of bollywood biggies and corporate captains.

But after that stint, he appeared determined to pass on the political baton to his elder son. When in 2012, his party again came into power, he handed the chief minister's post to his son Akhilesh Yadav. However, his contradictory statements regarding the performances of his son's government, created much political uproar and confusion, giving rise to fissures within the party and family.

In 2016, Mulayam Singh even expelled Akhilesh Yadav from the party when Akhilesh was the chief minister, which shocked everyone, proving disastrous for his party just before the 2017's assembly election, which his party lost miserably.

Though, later the father and son duo patched up and Akhilesh emerged as the power centre in the Samajwadi Party, however, the party could no longer perform to the expectations. In 2019 parliamentary elections, though Akhilesh partnered with Mayawati's Bahujan Samajwadi Party, the collaboration flopped and they separated bitterly after the flop show.

Deeply influenced by the socialist ideology of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia, Mulayam Singh joined politics after coming into close contacts with Madhu Limaye, Karpoori Thakur, Raj Narayan and Janeshwar Mishra. He was also considered very close to former Prime Minister, Chowdhary Charan Singh and Chandrashekhar. His relations with the leaders from across the parties and people from across the caste and religious lines, made him endeared to all.

In the beginning, it was his wrestling skill that proved his ticket to politics. During one fight in 1962, Nathu Singh, then an influential leader of the Praja Socialist Party, saw Mulayam and arranged his meeting with socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia of the Samyukt Socialist Party. It was when his passion to serve the people through politics got ignited, which continued inspiring him till his last breath.