Mulayam Singh Yadav death: UP CM declares 3-day state mourning
What's the story
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath declared a three-day state mourning over the demise of Samajwadi Party (SP) patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday. He also spoke to Yadav's son and Leader of Opposition in the UP Assembly, Akhilesh Yadav, to express his condolences. Calling him a prominent "pillar of socialism," Adityanath said that Yadav's death drew the curtains on "an era of struggle."
Context
Why does this story matter?
Yadav passed away on Monday morning after a prolonged illness. He was 82. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav informed people of his demise through the party's official Twitter handle. He was admitted to Medanta Hospital, Gurugram, on August 22. He was on life-saving drugs and was also put on a ventilator. On October 3, he was rushed to the ICU after his health deteriorated.
Twitter Post
End of an era: Yogi Adityanath
श्री मुलायम सिंह यादव जी के निधन पर उत्तर प्रदेश सरकार तीन दिन के राजकीय शोक की घोषणा करती है।
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) October 10, 2022
उनका अंतिम संस्कार पूरे राजकीय सम्मान के साथ होगा।
Information
Served as CM thrice, Union defence minister
Adityanath also said Yadav—the sitting Mainpuri MP at the time of his demise—would be cremated with full state honors. To recall, Yadav's second wife, Sadhna Gupta, died in July. Notably, the three-time UP CM also served as the Defence Minister (1996-98) under PMs HD Deve Gowda and IK Gujral. Yadav won UP Assembly elections 10 times and was elected to Lok Sabha seven times.
Ascent
Rose to prominence amid Mandal Commission agitations
A wrestler in his younger days, Yadav rose to prominence in UP politics in the late 1980s when protests were blazing over the Mandal Commission to recognize educationally and socially backward classes, which ultimately ushered in OBC reservations. Interestingly, it was during his tenure as the CM in 1990 that the police opened fire on Kar Sevaks marching to Ayodhya, resulting in 16 deaths.
Twitter Post
PM expressed grief over Yadav's demise, reminisced their association
I had many interactions with Mulayam Singh Yadav Ji when we served as Chief Ministers of our respective states. The close association continued and I always looked forward to hearing his views. His demise pains me. Condolences to his family and lakhs of supporters. Om Shanti. pic.twitter.com/eWbJYoNfzU
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 10, 2022
Track record
Yadav founded SP in 1992
Yadav—who forayed into active politics in the 1960s—was first elected as an MLA in 1967, aged 28. He founded the SP in 1992, propping up the Yadav-Muslim solidarity in north India, reported NDTV. He gradually withdrew from political activities as Akhilesh became the SP's new face. However, he expelled Akhilesh ahead of the 2017 UP Assembly elections. But the father-son duo later patched up.
Union Front
Yadav came close to being enthroned as PM
To note, Yadav came very close to becoming the prime minister in 1996, when he was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time. His name was floated for the PM post when the Union Front was about to form the Union government. However, the move was opposed by Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, as per Outlook.