Connect with us
Tuesday,05-August-2025
Breaking News

National News

Mulayam Singh Yadav: The three-time UP CM was the ‘Dhartiputra’ of national politics

Published

on

He was known as ‘Dhartiputra’ and remained a true son of the soil. His style of politics was firmly grounded and success and failure did not affect him.

Mulayam Singh Yadav was one of the last of his generation of politicians who kept his values intact and did not corporatize his politics.

For him, the last man in the line remained important – whether it was from his family, his village or his state. He was a friend of friends and even turned his foes into friends.

Mulayam Singh had first contested the Assembly election from Karhal in 1967 on Ram Manohar Lohia’s Samyukta Socialist Party ticket.

Groomed by the likes of Ram Manohar Lohia and Raj Narain, Yadav served eight terms as the member of the state Assembly.

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 later became a part of the Janata Dal.

In 1982, he was elected leader of the opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council and held that post until 1985. When the Lok Dal party split, Yadav launched the Krantikari Morcha party.

Mulayam Singh Yadav first became the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1989.

Being a shrewd politician, he had the uncanny knack of sensing the upheavals in politics.

After the collapse of the V.P. Singh national government in November 1990, Yadav joined Chandra Shekhar’s Janata Dal (Socialist) party and continued in office as the chief minister with the support of the Congress.

His government fell when the Congress withdrew support in April 1991 and Mulayam Singh lost to the BJP in the midterm elections.

In 1992, Yadav founded his own Samajwadi Party and then allied with the Bahujan Samaj Party for the elections to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, held in November 1993.

The alliance between the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party prevented the return of the BJP to power in the state and Yadav became the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh with the support of Congress and Janata Dal.

Mulayam’s stand on the movement for demanding separate statehood for Uttarakhand was as much controversial as his stand on Ayodhya movement in 1990 was.

The firing on Ayodhya activists and then Uttarakhand activists at Muzaffarnagar on October 2, 1994 remained black spots of his regime.

In 1995, the SP-BSP alliance broke with the infamous State Guest House incident but Mulayam Singh Yadav made sure that his party bounced back to power in 2003.

He was sworn in as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for the third time in September 2003.

Yadav contested the 2004 Lok Sabha elections from Mainpuri while he was still Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. However, he later resigned from the Lok Sabha and continued as chief minister till 2007 when the SP lost to the BSP in the state elections.

Mulayam Singh Yadav was one of the few politicians who blatantly promoted nepotism and had no qualms about it. At any given time, there were about a dozen family members in politics in Uttar Pradesh.

“He always pushed us into politics and asked us to make a career for ourselves. It was always he who decided what was best for us and took keen interest in our careers,” said one of his nephews.

Mulayam Singh valued his friends deeply. Whether it was Beni Prasad Varma, or Azam Khan or Mohan Singh or Janeshwar Mishra – each one had a special place in his life.

His war with Balram Singh Yadav and Darshan Singh Yadav in Etawah had acquired legendary proportions, but Mulayam, over a period of time, managed to change his equations and both became his friends.

Mulayam shared a love-hate relationship with the media. His famous ‘Halla Bol’ agitation against some newspapers grabbed national headlines.

However, Mulayam made sure that his individual relationship with journalists never deteriorated. Even if he ticked off a scribe for his writing, he made sure to call out to him and mend fences at the earliest.

For party workers, he remained their beloved ‘Netaji’ – one who was always approachable and available.

“I do not remember a single occasion when I went to meet Mulayam Singh and came back without doing so. He remembered even the smallest party worker by name and it was this that endeared him to everyone,” said a senior party MLA.

Mulayam Singh Yadav was one chief minister who enjoyed full loyalty from his bureaucrats. He took tough decisions and his officers implemented them. In fact, many claim that the politicisation of bureaucracy began only after Mulayam became the chief minister.

In the past five years, after Akhilesh Yadav took over the reins of the party, Mulayam had withdrawn into a shell.

The changing dynamics in the party reduced the stream of visitors into a trickle and Mulayam – for the first time, became a lonely man.

“He would often ask us if there was anyone waiting to meet him. He loved going to the party office and relished the hustle-bustle there. At home, he had almost nothing to do and this bothered him,” said one of his close staff members.

Mulayam was disturbed by the recent happenings in his family — daughter-in-law Aparna joining the BJP, the split between son Akhilesh and brother Shivpal. He made no public mention of it but it was clear that he was deeply affected by what was happening.

The demise of his second wife Sadhana Gupta Yadav in July this year, sources say, left Mulayam distressed and lonely and this led to a deterioration in his physical condition.

National News

Devastating Visuals: 2 Cloudbursts Reported In Uttarakhand; 4 Dead, 50 Missing

Published

on

Uttarkashi: Two cloudbursts were reported in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, on Tuesday, 5 August 2025. The cloudbursts caused severe flash floods along the Khir Ganga River, devastating villages including Dharali and Tharali.

At least four people were reported dead, and several others were missing, as villages were washed away after a major cloudburst struck the Dharali area near Harsil. Another cloudburst was reported in Sukhi Top, approximately 16 kilometers away. Resuce operations are underway.

Devastating visuals have surfaced from the scene. The video shows a strong water current flowing down the hills, leaving a trail of destruction behind.

The footage shows the flash floods destroying several houses within seconds. Whistles can be heard, blown to alert residents. The force of the water is so intense that the destruction of homes appears as though toy houses are being swept away. People can also be seen fleeing for their lives. At least 50 hotels are believed to be submerged or washed away.

The Jyotirmath-Malari motor road has been washed away due to the incessant rains and flooding. Authorities have requested travelers and locals to avoid unnecessary travel.

PM Modi Condoles Loss Of Lives

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of those who lost thier lives in the cloudburst.

“I express my condolences to the people affected by this tragedy in Dharali, Uttarkashi. Along with this, I pray for the well-being of all the victims. I have spoken to Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami ji and obtained information about the situation. Under the supervision of the state government, relief and rescue teams are engaged in every possible effort. No stone is being left unturned in providing assistance to the people,” he said in a post on X.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places over Uttarakhand on Tuesday.

Emergecy Numbers Issued

Uttarkashi District Emergency Operation Centre has issued the following emergency numbers: 01374222126, 01374222722, 9456556431

NDRF Teams

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Indo Tibetan Border Patrol (ITBP) teams have been deployed for rescue operations.

Continue Reading

National News

Former J&K Governor Satyapal Malik Dies At 79 In Delhi Hospital

Published

on

New Delhi: Former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satyapal Malik passed away on Tuesday after a prolong illness in New Delhi. Malik was of 79 years. He breathed his last at around 1 pm at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. According to reports, he was suffering from kidney-related ailments.

Malik served as the 10th and last Governor of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, from August 2018 to October 2019. It was during his tenure that Article 370 was abrogated in J&K on August 5, 2019.

Satyapal Malik’s Political Career:

Prior to serving as Jammu and Kashmir’s governor, Malik was appointed the Governor of Bihar in 2017. In 2018, he was also given the additional charge of Odisha. Later, he was appointed Governor of Goa. He also served as the Governor of Meghalaya until October 2022.

Malik was born in Hisawada village of Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat in a Jat family on July 24, 1946. In 1968, the former J7K Governor began his political career after elected as the students union president. In 1974, Malik was elected an MLA of Chaudhary Charan Singh’s Bharatiya Kranti Dal. He also served as a Rajya Sabha MP. He was elected as Lok Sabha MP from Aligarh on Janata Dal ticket in 1989.

In 1996, Malik again contested the Lok Sabha elections from Aligarh. However, he lost the polls. In 2012, Malik also served appointed National Vice-President of the BJP.

Satyapal Malik’s Criticism For The Narendra Modi Government:

In recent times, the former J&K Governor was in the news for his criticism of the Narendra Modi government. In an interview in 2023, he alleged lapses in security arrangements which led to the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. He claimed that the Centre turned down the CRPF’s request for aircraft for its convoy movement.

CRPF soldiers were attacked when they were travelling by road in Pulwama district. Notably, he was the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir when the attack took place. At least 40 CRPF soldiers lost their live sin the terror attack.

Malik also supported the farmers’ protest against the three farm laws passed by the Centre in 2020.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Anil Ambani Reaches ED Office In Delhi; Reliance Chairman To Be Quizzed Over Alleged ₹17,000 Crore Loan Fraud Case

Published

on

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is set to question Reliance Group Chairman and Managing Director Anil Ambani on Tuesday, August 5, in connection with a multi-crore money laundering and loan fraud case. The probe involves financial irregularities amounting to a staggering Rs 17,000 crore, with a specific focus on a Rs 3,000 crore loan fraud linked to Yes Bank.

Anil Ambani has already reached the ED office in Delhi for questioning. Visuals of his car reaching the investigation agency’s office have surfaced on the internet. The interrogation comes days after the agency intensified its investigation into financial dealings linked to companies associated with Ambani’s Reliance Group.

Recently, the ED had earlier issued a lookout circular against Anil Ambani on August 1, effectively restricting his international travel without prior approval from the agency. Officials confirmed that Ambani could be detained at any Indian airport if he attempts to leave the country.

ED Searches On Multiple Locations Linked To Anil Ambani

The latest development follows an extensive crackdown by the ED last week, during which over 50 locations linked to Anil Ambani, including offices and premises in Mumbai and Delhi, were raided. The operation was conducted under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). More than 25 individuals were also questioned as part of the ongoing probe.

The case reportedly centres around loans disbursed by Yes Bank to various firms under the Reliance Group between 2017 and 2019. Preliminary findings suggest that a major portion of the funds were allegedly diverted to shell companies or siphoned off to other entities within the group. Investigators are also probing potential kickbacks paid to top officials at Yes Bank during the loan disbursement process.

The ED’s probe aims to uncover whether these funds were used for legitimate business activities or laundered through a web of fake firms. The agency is also looking into possible violations of banking norms and financial misappropriation on a large scale.

Continue Reading

Trending