Former UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav passes away

Gurugram (Haryana): Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Mulayam Singh Yadav passed away at a Gurugram Hospital on Monday, his son Akhilesh Yadav said. The SP leader had been under critical condition for the past few days.

Born on November 22, 1939, Mulayam Singh Yadav remained one of the most prominent leaders of Uttar Pradesh who served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh thrice and has also served in the Union Government as the Minister of Defence.

He was elected 10 times as MLA and 7 times as Lok Sabha MP. In July this year, the Samajwadi Party patriarch's wife Sadhna Gupta passed away after undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Gurugram for a lung infection.

Born on November 22, 1939, in Saifai village of Etawah district, Mulayam Singh Yadav rose quickly in politics and became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh thrice; he also served in the Union Government once as the Defence Minister.

He was elected 10 times as MLA and 7 times as Lok Sabha MP. As long was his political career, a similar number of controversies surrounded it.

He was the story of a politician who almost became the Prime Minister of India. In 1996, when the United Front was poised to form the government, Mulayam Singh's name was floated to lead the alliance. It was opposed by leaders, including Lalu Prasad Yadav.

He again saw an opportunity in 2014 but the election results dampened the possibility forever.

People close to him said that the Samajwadi patriarch nursed a grievance that he could not become the Prime Minister of India despite being the chief minister of the most-populous state three times.

(ANI)