Mulayam Singh Yadav, the founder of the Samajwadi Party and a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, passed away today at Gurugram’s Medanta Hospital. He was 82. On August 22, the former CM was hospitalised after he complained of respiratory problems.
Mulayam Singh Yadav is affectionately referred to by his supporters and party members as Netaji.
Here is a summary of his life and career:
- 1939: The Veteran Samajwadi politician was born on November 22, 1939, to Murti Devi and Sughar Singh Yadav in the Uttar Pradeshn hamlet of Saifai in the Etawah district.
- 1967, 74 & 85: He won a seat in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
- 1992: Mulayam Singh Yadav founded the Samajwadi Party.
- 1996, 1998, 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019: He was five times elected to the Lok Sabha as a member of parliament.
- 1989 to 1991, 1993 to 1995, and 2003 to 2007: He served as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
- 1996-98: In the Indian government, he also held the position of minister of defence.
- 2014: He joined the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Standing Committee on Labour and Consultative Committee in 2014.
- 2015: He joined the General Purposes Committee on January 29, 2015.
- 2016: Mulayam Singh dismissed his son Akhilesh Yadav and his cousin Ram Gopal from the Samajwadi Party for six years on December 30, 2016. Within a day, he changed his mind.
- 2017: Mulayam was forced to resign as party president on January 1st by Akhilesh Yadav. The party’s convention was deemed unlawful by Mulayam. The dispute was brought before the Election Commission, which decided that Ram Gopal had every right to call the convention, contrary to Mulayam’s instructions. Akhilesh finally took over as party leader.
- 2019: Mulayam announced his intention to run in his final election when he filed his nomination for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat.
He had two marriages. Malti Devi, his first wife, passed away in 2003 following a protracted medical condition. Akhilesh Yadav, the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, is Mulayam Singh Yadav’s sole child by his first wife Malati Devi.
In many respects, Ram Manohar Lohia was seen as having Mulayam Singh Yadav under his mentorship. The seasoned leader was greatly shaped by Lohia.
The former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh has been receiving treatment at the hospital since August 22. On October 2, he was moved to the intensive care unit.