Jubilee Post News & Views
Jubilee News Desk
Former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and founder of Samajwadi Party Mulayam Singh passed away on Monday at the age of 82. He was to turn 83 in six weeks.
Samajwadi Party quoted Mulayam Singh’s son Akhilesh Yadav as saying, “My respected father and everyone’s Neta-ji has died.”
“Mulayam Singh Yadav’s death pains me. He was a remarkable personality and was widely admired as a humble and grounded leader,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi, wrote in his tribute. President of India, senior union and state ministers, various leaders including BSP chief Mayawati, expressed grief over the death.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath spoke to Akhilesh Yadav and expressed grief over the death and described Mulayam Singh’s demise as an “irreparable loss.” UP government declared three-day mourning in the state.
Singh was admitted to Medanta hospital in Gurugram after his health condition deteriorated. Mulayam, who became chief minister of Uttar Pradesh three times, was also referred to as ‘Netaji’ out of respect by his party workers and also other party leaders. He served for three non-consecutive terms as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and also served as the union minister of defence.
A long-time parliamentarian, he is currently the Member of Parliament, representing the constituency of Mainpuri in the Lok Sabha, and has also earlier served as the Member of Parliament from Azamgarh and Sambhal constituencies.
Groomed by leaders such as Ram Manohar Lohia and Raj Narain, Yadav was first elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh in 1967. Yadav served eight terms there.
In 1975, during Indira Gandhi’s imposition of the Emergency, Yadav was arrested and kept in custody for 19 months. He first became a state minister in 1977. Later, in 1980, he became the president of the Lok Dal in Uttar Pradesh which became a part of the Janata Dal later. In 1982, he was elected leader of the opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council and held that post until 1985.
Mulayam was elected 10 times as MLA and 7 times as Lok Sabha MP. He was CM in UP three times between December 5, 1989 and June 24 1991, December 4 1993 and June 3 1995, August 29 2003 and May 13 2007.
