News Analysis India

Tag: Mulayam Singh Yadav

  • Mulayam Singh’s statue installed in UP ‘without permission’ at SP’s Hardoi office removed

    By PTI

    HARDOI: A six-foot-tall statue of late Samajwadi Party (SP) patron Mulayam Singh Yadav installed at the party office here allegedly without prior permission was removed after a notice from the Nagar Palika Parishad, officials said on Tuesday.

    The statue was installed on a platform at the SP office near the Nagar Palika Parishad office by district president Virendra Yadav.

    Taking note of the statue, the civic body issued a notice to Yadav on September 23 and also pasted it at the entrance of the SP office.

    According to the notice, the party was given 24 hours to take down the statue, failing which it would face action.

    While Yadav refused to comment on the matter, SP district vice president Alaknkar Singh said party members had collected Rs 10 lakh and got the statue made.

    “The administration got it removed after pressuring us. After the notice was issued, we took down the statue ourselves on September 23,” he said.

    Executive Officer, Nagar Palika Parishad, Vinod Kumar Solanki said the SP office was opened by joining eight shops allotted to them by the civic body.

    “Without permission, a hall and a room were constructed there. A statue cannot be installed without permission,” Solanki said in the notice.

    He later said the statue has been removed now.

    HARDOI: A six-foot-tall statue of late Samajwadi Party (SP) patron Mulayam Singh Yadav installed at the party office here allegedly without prior permission was removed after a notice from the Nagar Palika Parishad, officials said on Tuesday.

    The statue was installed on a platform at the SP office near the Nagar Palika Parishad office by district president Virendra Yadav.

    Taking note of the statue, the civic body issued a notice to Yadav on September 23 and also pasted it at the entrance of the SP office.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    According to the notice, the party was given 24 hours to take down the statue, failing which it would face action.

    While Yadav refused to comment on the matter, SP district vice president Alaknkar Singh said party members had collected Rs 10 lakh and got the statue made.

    “The administration got it removed after pressuring us. After the notice was issued, we took down the statue ourselves on September 23,” he said.

    Executive Officer, Nagar Palika Parishad, Vinod Kumar Solanki said the SP office was opened by joining eight shops allotted to them by the civic body.

    “Without permission, a hall and a room were constructed there. A statue cannot be installed without permission,” Solanki said in the notice.

    He later said the statue has been removed now.

  • UP: Dimple Yadav takes over Mulyam’s legacy with thumping victory in Mainpuri bypoll

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party candidate Dimple Yadav on Thursday won the Mainpuri parliamentary bypoll defeating her nearest rival Raghuraj Singh Shakya of BJP by a margin of 2,88,461 votes.

    Considered SP’s bastion, the seat was held by party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and it got vacated after his death on October 10.

    Accompanied by her husband and party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple received her certificate from returning officer here.

    In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Mulayam Singh Yadav won the Mainpuri seat by defeating BJP candidate Prem Singh Shakya with a margin of over 94,000 votes.

    The SP had contested the 2019 elections with the BSP.

    Dimple Yadav’s margin of victory is more than that of her father-in-law showcasing Mainpuri constituents’ faith in ‘Netaji’ (Mulayam) and the development work carried out by him.

    BJP candidate Shakya even lost in his Daulpur booth by 187 votes.

    While Dimple Yadav secured 6,18,120 votes (64.08 per cent), Shakya received 3,29,659 votes (34.18 per cent).

    Taking a lesson from SP’s defeat in Azamgarh and Rampur Lok Sabha bypolls in June this year in which the SP chief had not campaigned, Akhilesh Yadav stayed put in Mainpuri crisscrossing the constituency to mobilise support for his wife.

    He moved out of Mainpuri only once during the campaign period to address a rally with Azam Khan in Rampur.

    In pursuance of its claim of winning all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP in the 2024 general elections, the BJP was eyeing to win the Mainpuri by-election to gain big momentum.

    The saffron party had fielded Raghuraj Shakya, once considered close to Shivpal Yadav, hoping the PSPL chief’s backing in view of his distance with Akhilesh Yadav.

    But, Shivpal Yadav’s reunion with the SP chief and his campaigning for Dimple Yadav poured cold water on the ruling party’s game plan.

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in his election meeting had made a scathing attack on Shivpal Yadav, likening him to a pendulum and football.

    Shivpal Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav had retorted to the attack.

    Mulayam Singh Yadav still holds the record for winning the election from the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat by the maximum number of votes.

    In the 2014 elections, the SP founder defeated his nearest rival Shatrughan Singh Chauhan of the BJP by a margin of 3,64,666 votes.

    Before this, Mulayam Singh had won the Lok Sabha elections in 2004 by more than 3 lakh votes when he defeated his nearest rival Ashok Shakya of the BJP.

    In 2014, Mulayam Singh had won the Lok Sabha elections from both Mainpuri and Azamgarh seats.

    He later vacated the Mainpuri seat, which was won by his grandson Tej Pratap Singh Yadav by more than three lakh votes in the by-election.

    The Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat comprises Karhal and Jaswantnagar assembly seats represented by Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav, respectively.

    LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party candidate Dimple Yadav on Thursday won the Mainpuri parliamentary bypoll defeating her nearest rival Raghuraj Singh Shakya of BJP by a margin of 2,88,461 votes.

    Considered SP’s bastion, the seat was held by party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and it got vacated after his death on October 10.

    Accompanied by her husband and party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple received her certificate from returning officer here.

    In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Mulayam Singh Yadav won the Mainpuri seat by defeating BJP candidate Prem Singh Shakya with a margin of over 94,000 votes.

    The SP had contested the 2019 elections with the BSP.

    Dimple Yadav’s margin of victory is more than that of her father-in-law showcasing Mainpuri constituents’ faith in ‘Netaji’ (Mulayam) and the development work carried out by him.

    BJP candidate Shakya even lost in his Daulpur booth by 187 votes.

    While Dimple Yadav secured 6,18,120 votes (64.08 per cent), Shakya received 3,29,659 votes (34.18 per cent).

    Taking a lesson from SP’s defeat in Azamgarh and Rampur Lok Sabha bypolls in June this year in which the SP chief had not campaigned, Akhilesh Yadav stayed put in Mainpuri crisscrossing the constituency to mobilise support for his wife.

    He moved out of Mainpuri only once during the campaign period to address a rally with Azam Khan in Rampur.

    In pursuance of its claim of winning all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP in the 2024 general elections, the BJP was eyeing to win the Mainpuri by-election to gain big momentum.

    The saffron party had fielded Raghuraj Shakya, once considered close to Shivpal Yadav, hoping the PSPL chief’s backing in view of his distance with Akhilesh Yadav.

    But, Shivpal Yadav’s reunion with the SP chief and his campaigning for Dimple Yadav poured cold water on the ruling party’s game plan.

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in his election meeting had made a scathing attack on Shivpal Yadav, likening him to a pendulum and football.

    Shivpal Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav had retorted to the attack.

    Mulayam Singh Yadav still holds the record for winning the election from the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat by the maximum number of votes.

    In the 2014 elections, the SP founder defeated his nearest rival Shatrughan Singh Chauhan of the BJP by a margin of 3,64,666 votes.

    Before this, Mulayam Singh had won the Lok Sabha elections in 2004 by more than 3 lakh votes when he defeated his nearest rival Ashok Shakya of the BJP.

    In 2014, Mulayam Singh had won the Lok Sabha elections from both Mainpuri and Azamgarh seats.

    He later vacated the Mainpuri seat, which was won by his grandson Tej Pratap Singh Yadav by more than three lakh votes in the by-election.

    The Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat comprises Karhal and Jaswantnagar assembly seats represented by Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav, respectively.

  • UP: Dimple Yadav takes over Mulayam’s legacy with thumping victory in Mainpuri bypoll

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party candidate Dimple Yadav on Thursday won the Mainpuri parliamentary bypoll defeating her nearest rival Raghuraj Singh Shakya of BJP by a margin of 2,88,461 votes.

    Considered SP’s bastion, the seat was held by party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and it got vacated after his death on October 10.

    Accompanied by her husband and party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple received her certificate from returning officer here.

    In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Mulayam Singh Yadav won the Mainpuri seat by defeating BJP candidate Prem Singh Shakya with a margin of over 94,000 votes.

    The SP had contested the 2019 elections with the BSP.

    Dimple Yadav’s margin of victory is more than that of her father-in-law showcasing Mainpuri constituents’ faith in ‘Netaji’ (Mulayam) and the development work carried out by him.

    BJP candidate Shakya even lost in his Daulpur booth by 187 votes.

    While Dimple Yadav secured 6,18,120 votes (64.08 per cent), Shakya received 3,29,659 votes (34.18 per cent).

    Taking a lesson from SP’s defeat in Azamgarh and Rampur Lok Sabha bypolls in June this year in which the SP chief had not campaigned, Akhilesh Yadav stayed put in Mainpuri crisscrossing the constituency to mobilise support for his wife.

    He moved out of Mainpuri only once during the campaign period to address a rally with Azam Khan in Rampur.

    In pursuance of its claim of winning all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP in the 2024 general elections, the BJP was eyeing to win the Mainpuri by-election to gain big momentum.

    The saffron party had fielded Raghuraj Shakya, once considered close to Shivpal Yadav, hoping the PSPL chief’s backing in view of his distance with Akhilesh Yadav.

    But, Shivpal Yadav’s reunion with the SP chief and his campaigning for Dimple Yadav poured cold water on the ruling party’s game plan.

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in his election meeting had made a scathing attack on Shivpal Yadav, likening him to a pendulum and football.

    Shivpal Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav had retorted to the attack.

    Mulayam Singh Yadav still holds the record for winning the election from the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat by the maximum number of votes.

    In the 2014 elections, the SP founder defeated his nearest rival Shatrughan Singh Chauhan of the BJP by a margin of 3,64,666 votes.

    Before this, Mulayam Singh had won the Lok Sabha elections in 2004 by more than 3 lakh votes when he defeated his nearest rival Ashok Shakya of the BJP.

    In 2014, Mulayam Singh had won the Lok Sabha elections from both Mainpuri and Azamgarh seats.

    He later vacated the Mainpuri seat, which was won by his grandson Tej Pratap Singh Yadav by more than three lakh votes in the by-election.

    The Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat comprises Karhal and Jaswantnagar assembly seats represented by Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav, respectively.

    LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party candidate Dimple Yadav on Thursday won the Mainpuri parliamentary bypoll defeating her nearest rival Raghuraj Singh Shakya of BJP by a margin of 2,88,461 votes.

    Considered SP’s bastion, the seat was held by party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and it got vacated after his death on October 10.

    Accompanied by her husband and party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple received her certificate from returning officer here.

    In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Mulayam Singh Yadav won the Mainpuri seat by defeating BJP candidate Prem Singh Shakya with a margin of over 94,000 votes.

    The SP had contested the 2019 elections with the BSP.

    Dimple Yadav’s margin of victory is more than that of her father-in-law showcasing Mainpuri constituents’ faith in ‘Netaji’ (Mulayam) and the development work carried out by him.

    BJP candidate Shakya even lost in his Daulpur booth by 187 votes.

    While Dimple Yadav secured 6,18,120 votes (64.08 per cent), Shakya received 3,29,659 votes (34.18 per cent).

    Taking a lesson from SP’s defeat in Azamgarh and Rampur Lok Sabha bypolls in June this year in which the SP chief had not campaigned, Akhilesh Yadav stayed put in Mainpuri crisscrossing the constituency to mobilise support for his wife.

    He moved out of Mainpuri only once during the campaign period to address a rally with Azam Khan in Rampur.

    In pursuance of its claim of winning all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP in the 2024 general elections, the BJP was eyeing to win the Mainpuri by-election to gain big momentum.

    The saffron party had fielded Raghuraj Shakya, once considered close to Shivpal Yadav, hoping the PSPL chief’s backing in view of his distance with Akhilesh Yadav.

    But, Shivpal Yadav’s reunion with the SP chief and his campaigning for Dimple Yadav poured cold water on the ruling party’s game plan.

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in his election meeting had made a scathing attack on Shivpal Yadav, likening him to a pendulum and football.

    Shivpal Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav had retorted to the attack.

    Mulayam Singh Yadav still holds the record for winning the election from the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat by the maximum number of votes.

    In the 2014 elections, the SP founder defeated his nearest rival Shatrughan Singh Chauhan of the BJP by a margin of 3,64,666 votes.

    Before this, Mulayam Singh had won the Lok Sabha elections in 2004 by more than 3 lakh votes when he defeated his nearest rival Ashok Shakya of the BJP.

    In 2014, Mulayam Singh had won the Lok Sabha elections from both Mainpuri and Azamgarh seats.

    He later vacated the Mainpuri seat, which was won by his grandson Tej Pratap Singh Yadav by more than three lakh votes in the by-election.

    The Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat comprises Karhal and Jaswantnagar assembly seats represented by Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav, respectively.

  • Not so simple: Mulayam card may not be enough for Dimple in Mainpuri

    By PTI

    MANIPURI: Winning the Mainpuri bypoll will not be a simple affair for SP’s Dimple Yadav unlike the past elections when her father-in-law Mulayam Singh Yadav used to register effortless victories, some local residents feel.

    But many are of the view that she will make it, particularly because of the public sympathy for the veteran Samajwadi Party leader who died recently.

    The SP had announced the name of Dimple Yadav, wife of party chief Akhilesh Yadav, as its candidate for the Mainpuri parliamentary seat on November 10.

    “The bypoll will certainly not be simple for Dimple Yadav as the BJP is making all efforts to snatch the seat from the SP. A large number of BJP leaders are already camping in the city,” businessman Dhirendra Kumar Gupta told PTI.

    At the same time, Gupta said, the going will not be easy for the saffron party as its candidate Raghuraj Singh Shakya is meeting and greeting the voters as a formality.

    Unless the BJP workers don’t undertake door-to-door campaigning, it will be tough for Shakya to win, he said.

    “There cannot be any comparison between ‘neta ji’ (Mulayam Singh Yadav) and his son Akhilesh Yadav, as the former knew each of his voters. But the Yadavs are more or less visiting each and every house in the constituency to ensure that they emerge victorious in the bypoll,” he said.

    Gupta asserted that the bypoll is the battle of ‘asmita’ (identity) for the Yadav family.

    The businessman further said that if the local BJP workers fail to make a connection with the voters, then bringing senior leaders, including ministers from Lucknow, for campaigning will have very less impact.

    For hotelier Hemant Pachauri, the upcoming bypoll is the best possible opportunity for the BJP to breach the SP fortress of Mainpuri due to the absence of Mulayam Singh Yadav or ‘neta ji’ to his legions of supporters.

    “If the SP loses the seat this time, it will prove to be the last nail in their political coffin. When in power, the SP had unleashed hooliganism in the city and people were feeling harassed. Now, the scene has changed.”

    “This bypoll is a fiercely contested one. At this point in time, it is difficult to say who will win or who has the edge. Things are different this time, especially in the absence of neta ji,” he said.

    “In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, neta ji had made an emotional appeal to the voters of the constituency urging them to vote for him and he won by a margin of around 94,000 votes with even the BSP supporting him. In the elections prior to 2019, neta ji’s victory margin was in lakhs,” Pachauri said.

    Local trader K K Gupta, however, said there is “no sympathy” for Dimple Yadav as people were fed up with the misrule of the SP when it was in power.

    “They heaved a sigh of relief after the BJP government came to power in the state, and the criminals were arrested. Since then, there has been a dip in crimes,” he claimed.

    Resident Bhupendra Singh too ruled out a sympathy wave for the SP and said the BJP will “create history” in the bypoll and win the seat.

    “The sympathy for Akhilesh Yadav vanished the day he took over the reins of the party from his father following a feud in the family. There is absolutely no sympathy for him, Dimple or for the SP,” he claimed.

    However, Shyam Bahadur Yadav, a self-proclaimed ‘Samajwadi tapasvi’ rejected the observations, saying people of Mainpuri are extending wholehearted support to the SP in general, and the “Saifai family” (Yadavs) in particular.

    “It is the people of Mainpuri, who are fighting the elections (against the BJP). The elections are important as they are being held after the demise of ‘neta ji’ the people of Mainpuri will elect Dimple and send her to Lok Sabha,” Yadav told PTI.

    Asked whether SP’s door-to-door campaigning will be any match for the BJP’s high-tech canvassing, the 50-year-old said, “The BJP indulges in high-decibel campaigning, and it is their only work. They are liars and are always flaunting. They play (songs on) the DJ, while we silently go from one house to another.”

    A resident of Kishni assembly constituency, Pushpendra Singh said Mulayam Singh Yadav had done a lot of work like constructing roads, schools, and hospitals and ensuring water and electricity supply for the people of the constituency.

    “What has the BJP done for the people of this place?” he said.

    Reacting to the BJP accusing the SP of indulging in dynastic politics, he said there is no ‘parivaarvaad’ in the party.

    Rishi Yadav (17), a student of BSc first year from Karhal assembly segment, who aspired to join the Indian Air Force, said, “Though I will be voting in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, I am closely watching the election campaign and the SP is going to win the bypoll.”

    “From roads to expressways, whatever we have got, it is only due to neta ji. The young voters have shown their inclination towards the SP, and Dimple Yadav will win the bypoll with a greater margin,” he said.

    When asked to comment on BJP’s allegations of crime reigning supreme during the SP regime, Rishi Yadav said crimes are being committed even now.

    “In fact, they have only increased (under the BJP),” he claimed.

    Akhilesh Yadav represents the Karhal assembly seat, which is part of the Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency. Polling in Mainpuri will be held on December 5 while the counting of votes will take place on December 8.

    MANIPURI: Winning the Mainpuri bypoll will not be a simple affair for SP’s Dimple Yadav unlike the past elections when her father-in-law Mulayam Singh Yadav used to register effortless victories, some local residents feel.

    But many are of the view that she will make it, particularly because of the public sympathy for the veteran Samajwadi Party leader who died recently.

    The SP had announced the name of Dimple Yadav, wife of party chief Akhilesh Yadav, as its candidate for the Mainpuri parliamentary seat on November 10.

    “The bypoll will certainly not be simple for Dimple Yadav as the BJP is making all efforts to snatch the seat from the SP. A large number of BJP leaders are already camping in the city,” businessman Dhirendra Kumar Gupta told PTI.

    At the same time, Gupta said, the going will not be easy for the saffron party as its candidate Raghuraj Singh Shakya is meeting and greeting the voters as a formality.

    Unless the BJP workers don’t undertake door-to-door campaigning, it will be tough for Shakya to win, he said.

    “There cannot be any comparison between ‘neta ji’ (Mulayam Singh Yadav) and his son Akhilesh Yadav, as the former knew each of his voters. But the Yadavs are more or less visiting each and every house in the constituency to ensure that they emerge victorious in the bypoll,” he said.

    Gupta asserted that the bypoll is the battle of ‘asmita’ (identity) for the Yadav family.

    The businessman further said that if the local BJP workers fail to make a connection with the voters, then bringing senior leaders, including ministers from Lucknow, for campaigning will have very less impact.

    For hotelier Hemant Pachauri, the upcoming bypoll is the best possible opportunity for the BJP to breach the SP fortress of Mainpuri due to the absence of Mulayam Singh Yadav or ‘neta ji’ to his legions of supporters.

    “If the SP loses the seat this time, it will prove to be the last nail in their political coffin. When in power, the SP had unleashed hooliganism in the city and people were feeling harassed. Now, the scene has changed.”

    “This bypoll is a fiercely contested one. At this point in time, it is difficult to say who will win or who has the edge. Things are different this time, especially in the absence of neta ji,” he said.

    “In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, neta ji had made an emotional appeal to the voters of the constituency urging them to vote for him and he won by a margin of around 94,000 votes with even the BSP supporting him. In the elections prior to 2019, neta ji’s victory margin was in lakhs,” Pachauri said.

    Local trader K K Gupta, however, said there is “no sympathy” for Dimple Yadav as people were fed up with the misrule of the SP when it was in power.

    “They heaved a sigh of relief after the BJP government came to power in the state, and the criminals were arrested. Since then, there has been a dip in crimes,” he claimed.

    Resident Bhupendra Singh too ruled out a sympathy wave for the SP and said the BJP will “create history” in the bypoll and win the seat.

    “The sympathy for Akhilesh Yadav vanished the day he took over the reins of the party from his father following a feud in the family. There is absolutely no sympathy for him, Dimple or for the SP,” he claimed.

    However, Shyam Bahadur Yadav, a self-proclaimed ‘Samajwadi tapasvi’ rejected the observations, saying people of Mainpuri are extending wholehearted support to the SP in general, and the “Saifai family” (Yadavs) in particular.

    “It is the people of Mainpuri, who are fighting the elections (against the BJP). The elections are important as they are being held after the demise of ‘neta ji’ the people of Mainpuri will elect Dimple and send her to Lok Sabha,” Yadav told PTI.

    Asked whether SP’s door-to-door campaigning will be any match for the BJP’s high-tech canvassing, the 50-year-old said, “The BJP indulges in high-decibel campaigning, and it is their only work. They are liars and are always flaunting. They play (songs on) the DJ, while we silently go from one house to another.”

    A resident of Kishni assembly constituency, Pushpendra Singh said Mulayam Singh Yadav had done a lot of work like constructing roads, schools, and hospitals and ensuring water and electricity supply for the people of the constituency.

    “What has the BJP done for the people of this place?” he said.

    Reacting to the BJP accusing the SP of indulging in dynastic politics, he said there is no ‘parivaarvaad’ in the party.

    Rishi Yadav (17), a student of BSc first year from Karhal assembly segment, who aspired to join the Indian Air Force, said, “Though I will be voting in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, I am closely watching the election campaign and the SP is going to win the bypoll.”

    “From roads to expressways, whatever we have got, it is only due to neta ji. The young voters have shown their inclination towards the SP, and Dimple Yadav will win the bypoll with a greater margin,” he said.

    When asked to comment on BJP’s allegations of crime reigning supreme during the SP regime, Rishi Yadav said crimes are being committed even now.

    “In fact, they have only increased (under the BJP),” he claimed.

    Akhilesh Yadav represents the Karhal assembly seat, which is part of the Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency. Polling in Mainpuri will be held on December 5 while the counting of votes will take place on December 8.

  • Power games: The mysterious case of Mulayam family’s assets

    Express News Service

    Legal BattleThe mysterious case of Mulayam family’s assets

    A case of disproportionate assets filed in 2005 by Congress-linked lawyer Vishwanath Chaturvedi against Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, his sons Akhilesh and Prateek, and daughter-in-law Dimple Yadav has taken so many twists and turns and got linked to so many prominent personalities and events that a whole book could be written on it. The case is again coming up for hearing in the Supreme Court tomorrow. Chaturvedi’s petition had sought the prosecution of Mulayam and his family under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for amassing assets more than their known source of income. The Supreme Court found merit in his complaint and ordered a CBI enquiry in 2007. The CBI started the enquiry. But in 2008, the then Congress-led UPA government reached the brink of collapse with the Left parties deciding to withdraw support on the issue of the nuclear deal with the US.

    The government survived with the one-time support of Mulayam’s 39 MPs. Not many were surprised when the CBI approached the SC the same year (2008) seeking to withdraw the case against Mulayam and family. Chaturvedi opposed the CBI move and the case continued. Meanwhile, Mulayam had filed a petition seeking review of the SC order that started the CBI probe. The court passed an order in 2012 on this review petition in which it dropped Dimple’s name but allowed the CBI to continue its investigation against the other three, namely, Mulayam, Akhilesh and Prateek Yadav. In 2013, the Congress-led Union government once again needed the support of Mulayam’s MPs to pass the National Food Security Bill.

    A public statement was made by the then CBI chief Ranjit Sinha that the agency was going to file a closure report in the SC in the Mulayam family assets case. The closure report reportedly never reached the court but reports started appearing in the media that the case was closed. Chaturvedi wrote to the CBI asking for a copy of the closure report. But he was never given one. The matter lingered and finally, in 2019, Chaturvedi once again approached the SC seeking direction to the CBI to provide him with the closure report. The court issued a notice to the agency. The CBI has reportedly informed the apex court that it has closed the case and given its report to the Central Vigilance Commission. Chaturvedi filed an RTI application with the CVC. The CVC replied saying it has received no closure report from the CBI in the said case. Armed with the CVC reply, Chaturvedi once again knocked at SC’s doors. The matter is scheduled for a hearing tomorrow.

    Party NotesKharge’s indecisiveness raises eyebrows in party

    Newly appointed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s failure to act against indiscipline has raised many eyebrows within the party. Congress leaders were surprised by a public statement by their data analytics department chief Praveen Chakravarty against the party’s promise to bring back the old pension scheme. The two Congress-ruled states have implemented the scheme and it forms part of the party’s election manifesto in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. The leadership’s silence led to media reports indicating division where none exists. Sources said party leaders expected the new president to put a lid on such reports and a word of caution for the functionary. Kharge has also come in for criticism for his inaction over the Rajasthan rebellion. The last major task he was given by the party to handle before his election was to oversee a transition in Rajasthan.

    The shoddy manner in which he and the other central representative, Ajay Maken, were treated by chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his loyalist ministers and MLAs is all part of well-recorded history. The humiliation suffered by the two was such that Kharge told the media that in his long career in the Congress, he had not seen such disregard for the party president’s wishes. The same loyalists of Gehlot who had kept the ministers and MLAs away from Kharge and Maken were given charge of handling the Rajasthan leg of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. Kharge and Maken had recommended action against these leaders for revolting against the party leadership. But Kharge has not acted as a president on what he had recommended as a central emissary earlier. A miffed Maken has refused to work in Rajasthan.

    Legal Battle
    The mysterious case of Mulayam family’s assets

    A case of disproportionate assets filed in 2005 by Congress-linked lawyer Vishwanath Chaturvedi against Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, his sons Akhilesh and Prateek, and daughter-in-law Dimple Yadav has taken so many twists and turns and got linked to so many prominent personalities and events that a whole book could be written on it. The case is again coming up for hearing in the Supreme Court tomorrow. Chaturvedi’s petition had sought the prosecution of Mulayam and his family under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for amassing assets more than their known source of income. The Supreme Court found merit in his complaint and ordered a CBI enquiry in 2007. The CBI started the enquiry. But in 2008, the then Congress-led UPA government reached the brink of collapse with the Left parties deciding to withdraw support on the issue of the nuclear deal with the US.

    The government survived with the one-time support of Mulayam’s 39 MPs. Not many were surprised when the CBI approached the SC the same year (2008) seeking to withdraw the case against Mulayam and family. Chaturvedi opposed the CBI move and the case continued. Meanwhile, Mulayam had filed a petition seeking review of the SC order that started the CBI probe. The court passed an order in 2012 on this review petition in which it dropped Dimple’s name but allowed the CBI to continue its investigation against the other three, namely, Mulayam, Akhilesh and Prateek Yadav. In 2013, the Congress-led Union government once again needed the support of Mulayam’s MPs to pass the National Food Security Bill.

    A public statement was made by the then CBI chief Ranjit Sinha that the agency was going to file a closure report in the SC in the Mulayam family assets case. The closure report reportedly never reached the court but reports started appearing in the media that the case was closed. Chaturvedi wrote to the CBI asking for a copy of the closure report. But he was never given one. The matter lingered and finally, in 2019, Chaturvedi once again approached the SC seeking direction to the CBI to provide him with the closure report. The court issued a notice to the agency. The CBI has reportedly informed the apex court that it has closed the case and given its report to the Central Vigilance Commission. Chaturvedi filed an RTI application with the CVC. The CVC replied saying it has received no closure report from the CBI in the said case. Armed with the CVC reply, Chaturvedi once again knocked at SC’s doors. The matter is scheduled for a hearing tomorrow.

    Party Notes
    Kharge’s indecisiveness raises eyebrows in party

    Newly appointed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s failure to act against indiscipline has raised many eyebrows within the party. Congress leaders were surprised by a public statement by their data analytics department chief Praveen Chakravarty against the party’s promise to bring back the old pension scheme. The two Congress-ruled states have implemented the scheme and it forms part of the party’s election manifesto in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. The leadership’s silence led to media reports indicating division where none exists. Sources said party leaders expected the new president to put a lid on such reports and a word of caution for the functionary. Kharge has also come in for criticism for his inaction over the Rajasthan rebellion. The last major task he was given by the party to handle before his election was to oversee a transition in Rajasthan.

    The shoddy manner in which he and the other central representative, Ajay Maken, were treated by chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his loyalist ministers and MLAs is all part of well-recorded history. The humiliation suffered by the two was such that Kharge told the media that in his long career in the Congress, he had not seen such disregard for the party president’s wishes. The same loyalists of Gehlot who had kept the ministers and MLAs away from Kharge and Maken were given charge of handling the Rajasthan leg of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. Kharge and Maken had recommended action against these leaders for revolting against the party leadership. But Kharge has not acted as a president on what he had recommended as a central emissary earlier. A miffed Maken has refused to work in Rajasthan.

  • Mainpuri bypoll campaign: Akhilesh Yadav touches uncle Shivpal’s feet at election rally

    By PTI

    ETAWAH: In a show of bonhomie during the campaign for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday touched the feet of his uncle Shivpal Yadav and asserted that there has never been any strain in their relationship.

    Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) chief Shivpal Singh Yadav termed the bypolls a high stake contest, and told the audience that the family has become one.

    He also said that the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government peddles a lot of lies.

    Addressing an election rally in the family bastion of Saifai, Akhilesh Yadav asserted that his party will register a historic win in the bypoll.

    Dimple Yadav, the wife of Akhilesh Yadav, has been fielded from the seat, which has been represented by the SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav.

    The bypoll was necessitated due to the death of Mulayam Singh last month.

    “The bypolls are taking place at a time when ‘Netaji’ (Mulayam Singh Yadav) is not among us. The entire country is watching this election, and I can say that the entire country will see how the Samajwadi Party registers a historic win,” Akhilesh Yadav said.

    After remaining at loggerheads since 2017, Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle had decided to mend fences before the 2022 Assembly polls.

    Both had put up a united front at the behest of Mulayam Singh Yadav.

    #WATCH | Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav meets PSP chief Shivpal Yadav, touches his feet atop the stage while campaigning for the byelections in Mainpuri, UP pic.twitter.com/c82LOivUqb
    — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) November 20, 2022
    However, the cracks appeared again after the poll in which the BJP came back to power.

    “At times people say that there is ‘dooriyaan’ (distance). There was no ‘dooriyaan’ between ‘chacha’ (uncle) and ‘bhatija’ (nephew). ‘Dooriyaan’ was there in politics. I had never considered any ‘dooriyaan’ between uncle and nephew. And, I am happy that today the ‘dooriyaan’ in politics has also ended,” Akhilesh Yadav said to a rousing applause from public.

    “And it is because of this that the BJP is feeling frightened. It knows that the people of Jaswantnagar have made up their mind to vote for the SP. Karhal is also walking along, and the people of Mainpuri too have made up their mind ,” the SP chief said.

    Jaswantnagar and Karhal are represented by Shivpal and Akhilesh Yadav respectively in the UP assembly.

    The poll campaign on Sunday saw Akhilesh Yadav, Shivpal Yadav and SP general secretary Ramgopal Yadav sharing the stage.

    During the rally, Akhilesh Yadav also said that this is the first government (referring to the BJP), which has forgotten its promises.

    “When there is a strain in a relationship they say that there is a feud, and when we become one, they would term us as ‘parivaar vaadi’ party. This is the problem of the BJP people and it will remain, because everywhere they look out for shortcomings,” he said.

    “It is BJP propaganda that aims to show us as a party of one family, a party of one caste, and seek support of people of one particular religion. ‘Netaji’ has always taught us the politics of brotherhood and amity, and how to give respect to people,” Akhilesh Yadav said.

    The SP chief urged the party workers to walk on the path shown by his father, and change the course of the country and that of the society.

    “The BJP should not make any claims on development. They can make claims about potholes on the road or that of corruption,” he said, and added that whatever development has taken place in the region, it is because of the ‘Samajwadis.’

    He cited Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences in Saifai as an example of such progress.

    “Had ‘Netaji’ not been adamant, the Lucknow-Agra expressway would not have been made in 23 months. This expressway was found to be the best expressway in the country. When he was invited for the foundation stone laying ceremony, he had said that he would lay the foundation stone only when he knew the date of inauguration. The day on which the foundation stone was laid was the birthday of ‘Netaji’, and the day when it was inaugurated was also his birthday,” the SP chief said.

    He also said that the ongoing bypolls are important as after the BJP’s defeat in Bengal and change in power equation in Bihar, it was UP’s turn to halt the victory run of BJP and prevent it from coming to power at the centre.

    Akhilesh Yadav said that in line with an advice given by Ramgopal Yadav — given earlier in the meeting, he said — the party has to take stock of the EVMs till the very end to prevent any malfeasance. “Because this government will not tell you where 20 lakh EVMs have disappeared. Last time you made us win the polls, but the administration defeated us. In the (postal) ballot, we won almost 300 seats.”

    Shivpal Singh Yadav said, “Reputation is at stake in this election. Dimple is our daughter-in-law. Everyone who is sitting here carries a part of ‘Netaji.’ This is a fight for honour, and all the records have to be made in this election itself. This is true that you have told us to unite, and we have become one. And now it is your responsibility to ensure a victory by record margin. Whenever such challenges have sprung before the people of Jaswantnagar, they have emerged victorious,” Shivpal Singh Yadav said.

    He also said that ever since the BJP came to power in UP, the problems of the people have only increased.

    “The BJP government peddles a lot of misinformation. We want to know that in the past 10 years, has it done any work for the people of UP?” he said.

    “BJP has encouraged poverty, unemployment, corruption. It has worked to disturb the people of the entire state. If the public has to go to any office, they have to pay a bribe,” he said.

    Akhilesh Yadav had on last Thursday met the PSPL chief along with Dimple Yadav, and shared a picture of them together.

    In a tweet after the meeting, Akhilesh Yadav had then said, “Along with the blessings of Netaji and elders of the family, the people of Mainpuri are also with us.”

    Exhorting the party workers to ensure the party’s win, Ramgopal Yadav said, “When you have defeated the BJP in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat, then people will realise that the BJP too can be defeated, not only in Mainpuri, but also in the state and in the country.”

    “The country is being run by a dictatorial government. Everyone is tortured, and no one is getting any relief. Some people of the BJP were telling us yesterday that the work which used to cost Rs 100 in the earlier government, now costs at least Rs 1,000. There is loot in police stations and tehsil (offices),” he said.

    On Wednesday, Shivpal Yadav had held a meeting with the party workers for the bypoll.

    Shivpal Singh Yadav’s role in the election assumes importance as his assembly constituency Jaswantnagar comes under the Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency.

    He has a close relationship with the people of Mainpuri and used to go as Mulayam’s representative in various programmes there whenever the SP patriarch was unavailable.

    The PSP(L) chief’s campaigning in favour of Dimple is also considered important as Raghuraj Singh Shakya, BJP’s nominee from the seat, was once a close aide of him.

    Polling in Mainpuri will be held on December 5, while counting of votes will take place on December 8.

    The Mainpuri parliamentary constituency has five assembly segments of Mainpuri, Bhongaon, Kishni, Karhal and Jaswant Nagar.

    In the 2022 assembly elections, the SP won the Karhal, Kishni and the Jaswantnagar seats, while the BJP won the Mainpuri and the Bhogaon seats.

    Akhilesh’s Karhal assembly seat is also part of Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency.

    ETAWAH: In a show of bonhomie during the campaign for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday touched the feet of his uncle Shivpal Yadav and asserted that there has never been any strain in their relationship.

    Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) chief Shivpal Singh Yadav termed the bypolls a high stake contest, and told the audience that the family has become one.

    He also said that the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government peddles a lot of lies.

    Addressing an election rally in the family bastion of Saifai, Akhilesh Yadav asserted that his party will register a historic win in the bypoll.

    Dimple Yadav, the wife of Akhilesh Yadav, has been fielded from the seat, which has been represented by the SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav.

    The bypoll was necessitated due to the death of Mulayam Singh last month.

    “The bypolls are taking place at a time when ‘Netaji’ (Mulayam Singh Yadav) is not among us. The entire country is watching this election, and I can say that the entire country will see how the Samajwadi Party registers a historic win,” Akhilesh Yadav said.

    After remaining at loggerheads since 2017, Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle had decided to mend fences before the 2022 Assembly polls.

    Both had put up a united front at the behest of Mulayam Singh Yadav.

    #WATCH | Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav meets PSP chief Shivpal Yadav, touches his feet atop the stage while campaigning for the byelections in Mainpuri, UP pic.twitter.com/c82LOivUqb
    — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) November 20, 2022
    However, the cracks appeared again after the poll in which the BJP came back to power.

    “At times people say that there is ‘dooriyaan’ (distance). There was no ‘dooriyaan’ between ‘chacha’ (uncle) and ‘bhatija’ (nephew). ‘Dooriyaan’ was there in politics. I had never considered any ‘dooriyaan’ between uncle and nephew. And, I am happy that today the ‘dooriyaan’ in politics has also ended,” Akhilesh Yadav said to a rousing applause from public.

    “And it is because of this that the BJP is feeling frightened. It knows that the people of Jaswantnagar have made up their mind to vote for the SP. Karhal is also walking along, and the people of Mainpuri too have made up their mind ,” the SP chief said.

    Jaswantnagar and Karhal are represented by Shivpal and Akhilesh Yadav respectively in the UP assembly.

    The poll campaign on Sunday saw Akhilesh Yadav, Shivpal Yadav and SP general secretary Ramgopal Yadav sharing the stage.

    During the rally, Akhilesh Yadav also said that this is the first government (referring to the BJP), which has forgotten its promises.

    “When there is a strain in a relationship they say that there is a feud, and when we become one, they would term us as ‘parivaar vaadi’ party. This is the problem of the BJP people and it will remain, because everywhere they look out for shortcomings,” he said.

    “It is BJP propaganda that aims to show us as a party of one family, a party of one caste, and seek support of people of one particular religion. ‘Netaji’ has always taught us the politics of brotherhood and amity, and how to give respect to people,” Akhilesh Yadav said.

    The SP chief urged the party workers to walk on the path shown by his father, and change the course of the country and that of the society.

    “The BJP should not make any claims on development. They can make claims about potholes on the road or that of corruption,” he said, and added that whatever development has taken place in the region, it is because of the ‘Samajwadis.’

    He cited Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences in Saifai as an example of such progress.

    “Had ‘Netaji’ not been adamant, the Lucknow-Agra expressway would not have been made in 23 months. This expressway was found to be the best expressway in the country. When he was invited for the foundation stone laying ceremony, he had said that he would lay the foundation stone only when he knew the date of inauguration. The day on which the foundation stone was laid was the birthday of ‘Netaji’, and the day when it was inaugurated was also his birthday,” the SP chief said.

    He also said that the ongoing bypolls are important as after the BJP’s defeat in Bengal and change in power equation in Bihar, it was UP’s turn to halt the victory run of BJP and prevent it from coming to power at the centre.

    Akhilesh Yadav said that in line with an advice given by Ramgopal Yadav — given earlier in the meeting, he said — the party has to take stock of the EVMs till the very end to prevent any malfeasance. “Because this government will not tell you where 20 lakh EVMs have disappeared. Last time you made us win the polls, but the administration defeated us. In the (postal) ballot, we won almost 300 seats.”

    Shivpal Singh Yadav said, “Reputation is at stake in this election. Dimple is our daughter-in-law. Everyone who is sitting here carries a part of ‘Netaji.’ This is a fight for honour, and all the records have to be made in this election itself. This is true that you have told us to unite, and we have become one. And now it is your responsibility to ensure a victory by record margin. Whenever such challenges have sprung before the people of Jaswantnagar, they have emerged victorious,” Shivpal Singh Yadav said.

    He also said that ever since the BJP came to power in UP, the problems of the people have only increased.

    “The BJP government peddles a lot of misinformation. We want to know that in the past 10 years, has it done any work for the people of UP?” he said.

    “BJP has encouraged poverty, unemployment, corruption. It has worked to disturb the people of the entire state. If the public has to go to any office, they have to pay a bribe,” he said.

    Akhilesh Yadav had on last Thursday met the PSPL chief along with Dimple Yadav, and shared a picture of them together.

    In a tweet after the meeting, Akhilesh Yadav had then said, “Along with the blessings of Netaji and elders of the family, the people of Mainpuri are also with us.”

    Exhorting the party workers to ensure the party’s win, Ramgopal Yadav said, “When you have defeated the BJP in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat, then people will realise that the BJP too can be defeated, not only in Mainpuri, but also in the state and in the country.”

    “The country is being run by a dictatorial government. Everyone is tortured, and no one is getting any relief. Some people of the BJP were telling us yesterday that the work which used to cost Rs 100 in the earlier government, now costs at least Rs 1,000. There is loot in police stations and tehsil (offices),” he said.

    On Wednesday, Shivpal Yadav had held a meeting with the party workers for the bypoll.

    Shivpal Singh Yadav’s role in the election assumes importance as his assembly constituency Jaswantnagar comes under the Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency.

    He has a close relationship with the people of Mainpuri and used to go as Mulayam’s representative in various programmes there whenever the SP patriarch was unavailable.

    The PSP(L) chief’s campaigning in favour of Dimple is also considered important as Raghuraj Singh Shakya, BJP’s nominee from the seat, was once a close aide of him.

    Polling in Mainpuri will be held on December 5, while counting of votes will take place on December 8.

    The Mainpuri parliamentary constituency has five assembly segments of Mainpuri, Bhongaon, Kishni, Karhal and Jaswant Nagar.

    In the 2022 assembly elections, the SP won the Karhal, Kishni and the Jaswantnagar seats, while the BJP won the Mainpuri and the Bhogaon seats.

    Akhilesh’s Karhal assembly seat is also part of Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency.

  • UP: Samajwadi Party’s Dimple Yadav files nomination for Mainpuri bypoll

    By PTI

    MAINPURI:  Samajwadi Party candidate for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll Dimple Yadav filed her nomination papers on Monday.

    SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and MP Ramgopal Yadav accompanied 44-year-old Dimple during the filing of nomination papers at the District Magistrate’s office here.

    Before submitting the papers, Dimple touched the feet of Ramgopal Yadav. Former MP from Mainpuri Tej Pratap and SP district president Alok Sakya were also accompanying them.

    The bypolls for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat will be held on December 5 and the result will be declared on December 8.

    The Mainpuri parliamentary seat fell vacant following the demise of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on October 10.Dimple, a former MP from Kannauj, will seek to hold the party’s 26-year grip over the Mainpuri seat. The daughter-in-law of ‘Netaji’ returns to active politics after she lost Kannauj to the BJP in the 2019 general election.

    Filing of nominations has started and the last date for filing of nominations is November 17. The BJP is yet to announce its nominee for the seat.READ | JD(U) appeals to BJP, other parties to not field candidate against Dimple Yadav

    MAINPURI:  Samajwadi Party candidate for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll Dimple Yadav filed her nomination papers on Monday.

    SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and MP Ramgopal Yadav accompanied 44-year-old Dimple during the filing of nomination papers at the District Magistrate’s office here.

    Before submitting the papers, Dimple touched the feet of Ramgopal Yadav. Former MP from Mainpuri Tej Pratap and SP district president Alok Sakya were also accompanying them.

    The bypolls for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat will be held on December 5 and the result will be declared on December 8.

    The Mainpuri parliamentary seat fell vacant following the demise of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on October 10.
    Dimple, a former MP from Kannauj, will seek to hold the party’s 26-year grip over the Mainpuri seat. The daughter-in-law of ‘Netaji’ returns to active politics after she lost Kannauj to the BJP in the 2019 general election.

    Filing of nominations has started and the last date for filing of nominations is November 17. The BJP is yet to announce its nominee for the seat.READ | JD(U) appeals to BJP, other parties to not field candidate against Dimple Yadav

  • Mainpuri, Rampur bypoll: Challenges galore for SP leadership

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: After suffering massive defeats in the 2022 assembly polls and the Gola Gokarannath bypoll, the Samajwadi Party is back to the drawing board as it faces a number of challenges in trying to save its fort in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat and the Rampur (Sadar) assembly seat where the bypolls are due on December 5, 2022. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav was huddled with the senior party leaders in Lucknow on Monday to decide on the strategy and deliberate over the possible faces to be fielded in the two constituencies.

    Notably, both seats are considered to be bastions of the Samajwadis. The bypoll in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat has been necessitated due to the demise of sitting MP and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav after a prolonged illness on October 10, 2022.

    On the other, SP stalwart Mohammad Azam Khan’s disqualification from the state assembly owing to his conviction in a hate speech case has led to bypoll in Rampur (Sadar) seat which Azam Khan had won 10th time during the UP assembly election in 2022 while being in jail. He had trounced his nearest rival BJP’s Akash Saxena by a huge margin of 55,000 votes.

    On one hand, the SP leadership faces the task of keeping the morale of the cadre high after the Gola drubbing as they have to continue the momentum in Mainpuri and Rampur, on the other, a decision over the faces to be fielded on both sides to match the stature of Mulayam and Azam has to be made.

    “The party, at present, seems cagey about the previous by-poll defeats in its bastions — Rampur and Azamgarh Lok Sabha — at the hands of ruling BJP, in June this year,” says Prof AK Mishra, a prominent political scientist. “While SP’s first family pride would be put to test in Mainpuri which was represented by Mulayam Singh Yadav for five times since 1996 in Lok Sabha, the battle of Rampur Sadar will not be a cakewalk for it as the ruling party has already captured the Lok Sabha constituency,” said Prof Mishra.

    Significantly, Mulayam had a tight grip on Mainpuri where SP remained invincible for the last 22 years. Either Mulayam himself or any member of the Yadav clan have represented it in Parliament.

    “The challenge to retain both the seats is there. If the ruling party succeeds in wresting even one of the two seats from SP, it would be demoralising for the SP supporters and workers ahead of the bigger battle of 2024,” said Prof Mishra.

    As per the highly placed SP sources, Akhilesh held a series of meetings with local leaders of Mainpuri to arrive at a consensus over the candidate for the Lok Sabha seats on Saturday and Sunday.

    The common refrain remained that a family member should be fielded who could take the legacy of ‘Netaji’ forward. “The names of SP chief’s wife and former MP Dimple Yadav, Akhilesh’s cousin Dharmendra Yadav and his nephew Tej Pratap Yadav cropped up during the discussion as front runners who could be entrusted with the responsibility of Mainpuri,” said a senior SP leader seeking anonymity. 

    However, the political experts also stress that Akhilesh needs to take Shivpal along in the scheme of things to be successful.

    In Rampur, the decision on the candidate would be done taking Azam Khan into confidence and giving preference to his choice of candidate in his stronghold.

    The SP is treading cautiously after consecutive defeats in the last three by-polls during which the SP chief kept himself away from campaigning while resting his confidence on party workers and local leaders. He, however, drew brickbats for his strategy after losing both Rampur and Azamgarh LS seats to the BJP.

    In Gola, while the BJP had put the entire battery of Yogi ministers to campaign for the party candidate, the SP campaign was led by state chief Naresh Uttam and Akhilesh had issued only a public appeal seeking support for his candidate. However, in the upcoming bypolls, Akhilesh is expected to hold the command of the party’s campaign as it is the question of saving pride and honour of the two stalwarts. Only time will tell.

    LUCKNOW: After suffering massive defeats in the 2022 assembly polls and the Gola Gokarannath bypoll, the Samajwadi Party is back to the drawing board as it faces a number of challenges in trying to save its fort in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat and the Rampur (Sadar) assembly seat where the bypolls are due on December 5, 2022. 
    SP chief Akhilesh Yadav was huddled with the senior party leaders in Lucknow on Monday to decide on the strategy and deliberate over the possible faces to be fielded in the two constituencies.

    Notably, both seats are considered to be bastions of the Samajwadis. The bypoll in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat has been necessitated due to the demise of sitting MP and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav after a prolonged illness on October 10, 2022.

    On the other, SP stalwart Mohammad Azam Khan’s disqualification from the state assembly owing to his conviction in a hate speech case has led to bypoll in Rampur (Sadar) seat which Azam Khan had won 10th time during the UP assembly election in 2022 while being in jail. He had trounced his nearest rival BJP’s Akash Saxena by a huge margin of 55,000 votes.

    On one hand, the SP leadership faces the task of keeping the morale of the cadre high after the Gola drubbing as they have to continue the momentum in Mainpuri and Rampur, on the other, a decision over the faces to be fielded on both sides to match the stature of Mulayam and Azam has to be made.

    “The party, at present, seems cagey about the previous by-poll defeats in its bastions — Rampur and Azamgarh Lok Sabha — at the hands of ruling BJP, in June this year,” says Prof AK Mishra, a prominent political scientist. “While SP’s first family pride would be put to test in Mainpuri which was represented by Mulayam Singh Yadav for five times since 1996 in Lok Sabha, the battle of Rampur Sadar will not be a cakewalk for it as the ruling party has already captured the Lok Sabha constituency,” said Prof Mishra.

    Significantly, Mulayam had a tight grip on Mainpuri where SP remained invincible for the last 22 years. Either Mulayam himself or any member of the Yadav clan have represented it in Parliament.

    “The challenge to retain both the seats is there. If the ruling party succeeds in wresting even one of the two seats from SP, it would be demoralising for the SP supporters and workers ahead of the bigger battle of 2024,” said Prof Mishra.

    As per the highly placed SP sources, Akhilesh held a series of meetings with local leaders of Mainpuri to arrive at a consensus over the candidate for the Lok Sabha seats on Saturday and Sunday.

    The common refrain remained that a family member should be fielded who could take the legacy of ‘Netaji’ forward. “The names of SP chief’s wife and former MP Dimple Yadav, Akhilesh’s cousin Dharmendra Yadav and his nephew Tej Pratap Yadav cropped up during the discussion as front runners who could be entrusted with the responsibility of Mainpuri,” said a senior SP leader seeking anonymity. 

    However, the political experts also stress that Akhilesh needs to take Shivpal along in the scheme of things to be successful.

    In Rampur, the decision on the candidate would be done taking Azam Khan into confidence and giving preference to his choice of candidate in his stronghold.

    The SP is treading cautiously after consecutive defeats in the last three by-polls during which the SP chief kept himself away from campaigning while resting his confidence on party workers and local leaders. He, however, drew brickbats for his strategy after losing both Rampur and Azamgarh LS seats to the BJP.

    In Gola, while the BJP had put the entire battery of Yogi ministers to campaign for the party candidate, the SP campaign was led by state chief Naresh Uttam and Akhilesh had issued only a public appeal seeking support for his candidate. However, in the upcoming bypolls, Akhilesh is expected to hold the command of the party’s campaign as it is the question of saving pride and honour of the two stalwarts. Only time will tell.

  • UP: Two held for objectionable remarks against Mulayam on social media 

    By PTI

    BALLIA: Two men were arrested for allegedly making objectionable remarks against Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav on social media, police said on Friday.

    The Samajwadi Party founder breathed his last on October 10 at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram.

    Deputy Superintendent of Police (Rasra) Shiv Narayan Vais said Markandeya Swarnkar and Ajay Verma, both residents of Nagra, were arrested on Thursday for the objectionable post against Yadav on Facebook.

    They were accused of disrupting peace, following which action was initiated, he added.

    Vais said the arrested accused had allegedly compared the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister to Ravana, the demon king in the Hindu epic ‘Ramayana’, and also made an objectionable comment about him.

    On Thursday, Samajwadi Party workers submitted a memorandum demanding action to the Nagra police station SHO.

    BALLIA: Two men were arrested for allegedly making objectionable remarks against Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav on social media, police said on Friday.

    The Samajwadi Party founder breathed his last on October 10 at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram.

    Deputy Superintendent of Police (Rasra) Shiv Narayan Vais said Markandeya Swarnkar and Ajay Verma, both residents of Nagra, were arrested on Thursday for the objectionable post against Yadav on Facebook.

    They were accused of disrupting peace, following which action was initiated, he added.

    Vais said the arrested accused had allegedly compared the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister to Ravana, the demon king in the Hindu epic ‘Ramayana’, and also made an objectionable comment about him.

    On Thursday, Samajwadi Party workers submitted a memorandum demanding action to the Nagra police station SHO.

  • How Mulayam Singh brought Chambal dacoits to their knees

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav was a man of conviction. As chief minister, he never hesitated in taking harsh measures against kar sewaks to save the disputed structure in Ayodhya in 1990 or in  issuing the release order for ‘bandit queen’ Phoolan Devi, withdrawing all 55 criminal cases lodged against her in 1994. He was also instrumental in keeping central UP free from gangs of dacoits.

    Mulayam’s decision to withdraw cases against Phoolan shocked the nation. Yet, he decided to field her as the party candidate from Mirzapur in the 1996 Lok Sabha election. Phoolan had shot to notoriety when she along with her gang of 35 dacoits massacred 22 Thakurs of Behmai village in Kanpur Dehat on February 14, 1981. Two years after the massacre, Phoolan and 25 members of her gang surrendered in Bhind district of Madhya Pradesh on February 12, 1984. After spending around nine-odd years in Gwalior Central Jail, Phoolan was shifted to Tihar in October 1993.

    Mulayam’s sympathy with Phoolan whose surrender was negotiated by the then Madhya Pradesh CM Arjun Singh on the directives of PM Indira Gandhi took the entire nation by storm. He was given coverage by The New York Times over his decision.

    However, despite all the criticism, Mulayam remained firm on his decision which was later struck down by the court. The former dacoit queen was released on parole by the Supreme Court and went on to win Mirzapur polls as an SP candidate in 1996. “Mulayam had promoted Phoolan not only to foil an equally belligerent Mayawati as his party’s honeymoon with the BSP had ended on a bitter note in 1995, but also to woo the Mallah-Kachchi-Kewat (boatmen) votes,” says Prof AK Mishra, a political scientist.

    Moreover, the SP patriarch is also known to have played a crucial role in ridding the ravines of Chambal and Yamuna, spread across central UP, from the reign of terror of dacoits. Mulayam, in collaboration with the MP government, had been instrumental in the elimination of at least a dozen known dacoits active in the ravines of Etawah,

    Auraiyya, Jalaun districts of UP and Bhind, Gwalior and Muraina of Madhya Pradesh. Mulayam’s approach as UP CM towards the issue in the 90s led at least 50 dacoits to surrender in UP and MP jointly.The drive against dacoits active in the Chambal ravines continued vigorously during Mulayam’s last tenure as the UP CM between 2003 and 2007.

    Mulayam, who belonged to Saifai in western Uttar Pradesh’s Etawah district, had seen dacoits operating with impunity in the central UP since his childhood. Former Inspector Ramnath Yadav recalls that in 2004, dacoits had come to depend mainly on abductions for heavy ransom. They had abducted a Kanpur-based doctor and took him to Beehad. “Mulayam called up the then Etawah SSP Akhilesh Mehrotra and ordered a vigorous campaign for the elimination of dacoits present in the area,” said Ramnath Yadav.

    A ministerial tiff that led to creation of U’khandDehradun: It was the result of an ideological confrontation between then defence minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and former PM Chandra Shekhar that led to the creation of a separate Uttarakhand. Chandra Shekhar was not in favour of small states at all, due to which Mulayam Singh left the Samajwadi Janata Party led by Chandra Shekhar and formed the Samajwadi Party. “The concept and foundation of the formation of the Samajwadi Party was laid in Dehradun itself,” said Suryakant Dhasmana, senior vice-president of the state Congress, the then chairman of the drafting committee of the Vinod Barthwal committee. ens 

    LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav was a man of conviction. As chief minister, he never hesitated in taking harsh measures against kar sewaks to save the disputed structure in Ayodhya in 1990 or in  issuing the release order for ‘bandit queen’ Phoolan Devi, withdrawing all 55 criminal cases lodged against her in 1994. He was also instrumental in keeping central UP free from gangs of dacoits.

    Mulayam’s decision to withdraw cases against Phoolan shocked the nation. Yet, he decided to field her as the party candidate from Mirzapur in the 1996 Lok Sabha election. Phoolan had shot to notoriety when she along with her gang of 35 dacoits massacred 22 Thakurs of Behmai village in Kanpur Dehat on February 14, 1981. Two years after the massacre, Phoolan and 25 members of her gang surrendered in Bhind district of Madhya Pradesh on February 12, 1984. After spending around nine-odd years in Gwalior Central Jail, Phoolan was shifted to Tihar in October 1993.

    Mulayam’s sympathy with Phoolan whose surrender was negotiated by the then Madhya Pradesh CM Arjun Singh on the directives of PM Indira Gandhi took the entire nation by storm. He was given coverage by The New York Times over his decision.

    However, despite all the criticism, Mulayam remained firm on his decision which was later struck down by the court. The former dacoit queen was released on parole by the Supreme Court and went on to win Mirzapur polls as an SP candidate in 1996. “Mulayam had promoted Phoolan not only to foil an equally belligerent Mayawati as his party’s honeymoon with the BSP had ended on a bitter note in 1995, but also to woo the Mallah-Kachchi-Kewat (boatmen) votes,” says Prof AK Mishra, a political scientist.

    Moreover, the SP patriarch is also known to have played a crucial role in ridding the ravines of Chambal and Yamuna, spread across central UP, from the reign of terror of dacoits. Mulayam, in collaboration with the MP government, had been instrumental in the elimination of at least a dozen known dacoits active in the ravines of Etawah,

    Auraiyya, Jalaun districts of UP and Bhind, Gwalior and Muraina of Madhya Pradesh. Mulayam’s approach as UP CM towards the issue in the 90s led at least 50 dacoits to surrender in UP and MP jointly.
    The drive against dacoits active in the Chambal ravines continued vigorously during Mulayam’s last tenure as the UP CM between 2003 and 2007.

    Mulayam, who belonged to Saifai in western Uttar Pradesh’s Etawah district, had seen dacoits operating with impunity in the central UP since his childhood. Former Inspector Ramnath Yadav recalls that in 2004, dacoits had come to depend mainly on abductions for heavy ransom. They had abducted a Kanpur-based doctor and took him to Beehad. “Mulayam called up the then Etawah SSP Akhilesh Mehrotra and ordered a vigorous campaign for the elimination of dacoits present in the area,” said Ramnath Yadav.

    A ministerial tiff that led to creation of U’khand
    Dehradun: It was the result of an ideological confrontation between then defence minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and former PM Chandra Shekhar that led to the creation of a separate Uttarakhand. Chandra Shekhar was not in favour of small states at all, due to which Mulayam Singh left the Samajwadi Janata Party led by Chandra Shekhar and formed the Samajwadi Party. “The concept and foundation of the formation of the Samajwadi Party was laid in Dehradun itself,” said Suryakant Dhasmana, senior vice-president of the state Congress, the then chairman of the drafting committee of the Vinod Barthwal committee. ens