New Delhi: Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav passed away on Monday at the age of 83. He was three-time Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Union Defence Minister.
The veteran leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, who founded the Samajwadi Party, remained at the centre of country's politics for about six decades. Inspired by Ram Manohar Lohia, once Mulayam Singh entered politics, he never looked back.
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Mulayam Singh was first elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1967. He was elected to UP Vidhan Sabha 8 times. He became a minister in Uttar Pradesh for the first time in 1977. During his political career, many a time he played role of King Maker.
Born in an ordinary family in Saifai, Etawah on 22 November 1939, Mulayam Singh completed his BA, BT and MA (Political Science) degrees from Agra University. Initially he joined as a teacher but soon he resigned and entered politics.
In 1975, when the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared emergency in the country, Mulayam Singh Yadav was arrested and sent to jail for 19 months.
He became a minister in Uttar Pradesh for the first time in 1977. In 1980, he was also elected president of Lok Dal, an ally of the Janata Dal. In 1982, he was Leader of Opposition in the UP Legislative Assembly.
Mulayam Singh Yadav became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh for the first time in 1989. In 1992, he founded the Samajwadi Party. In 1993, he again became the Chief Minister of UP. In September 2003, he took oath as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh for the third time.
Mulayam Singh was also one of the architects of religion and caste politics in UP. But he tried to maintain a balance between all religions and castes to get their support. Mulayam Singh Yadav was truely a Master Political Strategist.
