The man who once ruled Uttar Pradesh, becoming the chief minister, and later turned into utter isolation after losing dominance in Indian politics, remained in media light for differences with the son, Akhilesh Yadav having hands off with his father in the political battle of the state.
Mulayam Singh Yadav took his last breath at the age of 82 years, at 8:15 am, on September 10, 2022.
Mulayam Singh Yadav was a wrestler, who entered Uttar Pradesh politics in 1967 on the ticket of the SSP, also known as the Samyukta Socialist Party. From that day to today, he had an astonishing journey in politics. The SSP won 44 seats in that election, which kept farming communities at the forefront of the state. While, Bharatiya Jana Sangh won 98 seats.
Mulayam Singh Yadav was of those few leaders who made their big the first time, along with Kalyan Singh, under the OBC category. He became an MLA for the first time from Jaswantnagar of Etawah in 1967 but later lost the election to Bishambhar Singh Yadav, a Congress candidate.
Before the mid-term polls of 1974, Netaji joined Bharatiya Kranti Dal led by Chaudhary Charan Singh and ensured winning on the Jaswantnagar seat. He again won from the same seat in 1977 on the ticket of the Janata Party.
In the late 1970S, in Ram Naresh Yadav-led government, Mulayam Singh served as cooperative and animal husbandry minister.
In the assembly elections of 1985, he again ensured winning from the Jaswantnagar seat and became the opposition leader.
Before the 10th UP Assembly elections in 1989, Mulayam Singh joined the Janata Dal led by VP Singh and got appointed as the chief unit of Uttar Pradesh. He organized state-wide Kranti Rath yatra, after becoming a strong opposition face.
Mulayam Singh Yadav captured the space left by Congress in UP politics. Mulayam Singh Yadav became the 15th chief minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1989, as a Janata Dal leader with BJP led outside support.
In November 1990, the Janata Dal was divided into two parties, one was led by VP Singh, and the other was led by Chandrasekhar. The Congress gave support to the Chandrasekhar government in the center and the Mulayam Singh government in the UP.
Mulayam Singh chose Chandrasekhar-led Samajwadi Janata Party, to get the Congress’s support and hence save his government. After the falling off of his government, the SJP contested 399 seats in the UP polls of 1991. It managed to win only 34 seats. Mulayam was elected from Shahjahanpur’s Tilhar and Jaswantnagar seats.
As the status of Mulayam Singh kept rising in his political tenure, the OBC community garnered numerous advantages with political ascendancy in the state, side-lining the dominance of the Congress’s upper-caste leaders.
Mulayam Singh Yadav emerged as a socialist leader, and founded the Samajwadi Party in 1992, establishing himself as an OBC stalwart. As an SP leader, Netaji became chief minister for the second time in 1993, with Kanshi Ram, a Bahujan Samaj Party leader, as his ally.
The leader became the CM for the third time in 2003, with an SP-led coalition. His three tenures as a CM contribute a period equivalent to six years and nine months.