Seniors keep mum as they know Mulayam won’t disown his son

emerged as the most attractive face in the state and he has the support of veteran Azam Khan, who played truant in 2012.

Generally, in rural UP, the elder son is considered to be the real heir to business or political power. Akhilesh had also told the MLAS that “I am the real uttradhikari” (inheritor of the party).

A senior SP leader, on condition of anonymity, said a father will never disown his son. “Netaji may pull him up publicly, but he will also clear the obstacles that will come in way of handing over the party to Akhilesh.” However, Mulayam’s emotional dilemma is that he is very close to Shivpal and grateful for his contribution in raising the party.

As political uncertainty continues, most senior SP leaders take shelter in silence. Even those who always had their ammunition ready against Amar Singh, primarily because of his closeness with Mulayam, are refraining from taking the name of the 60-year-old who returned to the SP after six years.

Why? Elections are round the corner and they all need tickets for themselves or their family members. They dare not upset Mulayam or Akhilesh.

Singh has maintained a studied silence and stayed away from the state capital. A senior leader said, “Who would oppose Amar Singh after Mulayam’s declaring him as his younger brother!”

However, the scenario was different in 2010 when Singh was sacked. He was held responsible for the defeat of Akhilesh’s wife Dimple in Ferozabad in a 2009 by-poll.

Mulayam had removed Singh in 2010, but with a heavy heart. Now many in the party are accepting him with a heavy heart. As many as 172 noise pollution cases were registered during Ganpati and Navratri in Mumbai with the help of decibel meters that each police station has been provided with.

The police stations have been