No one insulted me like Akhilesh, says Mulayam Singh Yadav

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on Saturday fired a fresh salvo at his son and party president Akhilesh Yadav, rekindling the 10-month old family feud.

Speaking to party workers in his bastion of Mainpuri, the 77-year-old leader said that he has never felt as insulted in his life as he did during the five years of Akhilesh’s term as CM.

“I allowed Akhilesh to become chief minister when no father has handed over the reins of power to his son. However, Akhilesh became arrogant… He continued insulting me for five years and talked to me only for five minutes… I have never been humiliated so much in my life,” he said, and added, “Akhilesh ditched me. Why are you all surprised? He sacked his uncle (Shivpal) too”.

This is the first time after the elections that Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav has spoken out against his son, clearly indicating that while the family feud continues to simmer, faultlines have deepened further in the party reeling from the drubbing it received in the Assembly elections last month.

Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav appeared to support a statement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election campaign rally, where the BJP leader had criticised Akhilesh and asked how anyone could trust a person who wasn’t faithful to his father.

“Prime Minister Modi had said this in his election campaign and the BJP benefited from this,” he said.

He further said that, “He removed me form the post of party president and the ministers and legislators supported him because he was the chief minister”.

Mr Mulayam Singh said that he had warned Akhilesh that Prof. Ram Gopal Yadav would destroy his career and that is exactly what has happened.

“Those having no vote base are hatching a conspiracy against me. But he (Ram Gopal Yadav) should understand that I rely on the masses, and not him, now.”

“Some sections are suggesting floating of a new party but I have to see what ‘my people want,” he said.

Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav also said there was a conspiracy against him and asked supporters to wait for some time before decisions were taken.

“I did not intervene in what happened in the last few months but I have to speak here so that ‘my people’ do not find fault with me,” he said.

Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav has avoided making a statement against his son, evidently in the hope that the latter would accept his mistakes. However, his patience seems to be giving way now.

Mr Yadav’s statement is bound to encourage the anti-Akhilesh lobby in the SP to demand that he hand back the post of party president to his father.

SP MLC Madhukar Jetley said in Lucknow that as promised earlier, Mr Akhilesh Yadav should hand back the party to his father so that party workers can start preparing for their comeback.