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

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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

India and Pakistan to stop all firing and military action: MEA

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New Delhi, May 10: A few minutes after US President Donald Trump announced a “full and immediate ceasefire” between India and Pakistan, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 5 PM Indian Standard Time, on Saturday.

“The Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan called the Director General of Military Operations of India at 1535 hrs earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hrs Indian Standard Time today,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in a short media briefing.

“Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Director General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours,” the Foreign Secretary added.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced a “full and immediate ceasefire” between India and Pakistan without sharing any details of the negotiations or the ceasefire.

US Secretary of State Rubio also said in a State Department statement that he and Vice-President J D Vance conducted the ceasefire negotiations.

“After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns.

“Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added.

Secretary of State Rubio said in a separate statement: “Over the past 48 hours, Vice President Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik.

“I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace,” he stated.

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National News

Trump says India and Pakistan ‘agree to full and immediate ceasefire’

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Donald Trump says “India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire”.

In a post on social media platform Truth Social, the US President says: “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.

“Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

We have not heard this from either India or Pakistan, stay with us for the latest developments.

Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect, Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan, Ishaq Dar says.

He adds: “Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!”

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Maharashtra

Maharashtra Cyber Department warns against fake news circulation amid rising India-Pak tensions

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Mumbai, May 10: The Office of the Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra Cyber Department, on Saturday issued an advisory warning against the circulation of fake news amid cross-border tensions, asking the citizens to show restraint.

“Spreading false information, knowingly or unknowingly, is a punishable offence under relevant provisions of law. Maharashtra Cyber strongly advises all citizens to exercise restraint and discernment while consuming and sharing information, particularly in relation to matters of national importance. The Government of India maintains official communication channels and verified platforms for issuing statements, updates, and press releases concerning national security and defence matters. Citizens are urged to rely exclusively on these official sources for information and are firmly discouraged from forwarding or amplifying unverified messages, videos, or images that may contribute to social discord or misinformation,” said the advisory.

The department has appealed to all individuals to act responsibly, verify facts from authorised sources, and report any suspicious or misleading content at the earliest opportunity.

“In view of the prevailing cross-border tensions, accurate and timely information concerning developments at the border and adjoining regions holds vital importance for citizens. However, Maharashtra Cyber has observed with concern that amidst the dissemination of critical information, several instances of fake news are being circulated across various digital platforms. This misinformation not only misleads the public but also promotes confusion and unrest within society,” said the advisory.

“A considerable volume of this fake content pertains to alleged army movements, strategic operations, or retaliatory measures from neighbouring countries. Such unverified and misleading content poses a serious risk to national security and may contribute to the escalation of tensions. Unsocial elements appear to be exploiting the sensitivity of the situation by generating and distributing this fake news with the intention of gaining followers, inciting panic, or manipulating public perception,” said the advisory.

Taking cognisance of these developments, Maharashtra Cyber has issued several notices for the removal of such false narratives across social media and communication platforms. The department remains fully committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy information environment and will continue to coordinate with platform operators and enforcement agencies to curb the spread of misinformation.

The Cyber Department’s advisory comes a day after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde warned that the government will take stern action against those spreading fake news on social media.

CM Fadnavis, at the meeting he chaired to review the security arrangement and preparedness amid escalating conflict between India and Pakistan, asked the administration to study the central government’s ‘Union War Book’ in depth and inform everyone about it.

Police cyber cells in every district should monitor social media and identify handles that are helping Pakistan and take action against them. If anyone is helping the enemy or spreading false information, take action against them, he said at the meeting.

Further, Eknath Shinde said, “Spreading fake news on social media is a serious crime. Strict action would be taken against it. We request that people not film, video, and broadcast whatever preparations are being made by the military and coast guard forces, as it is important from a security perspective.”

He announced that the government will initiate strong action against those engaged in spreading fake news on social media.

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