Shivpal, Amar indispensable to me, says MSY
Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday made it clear to chief minister Akhilesh Yadav that he would have to learn to live with his uncle Shivpal Yadav and Amar Singh as both were indispensable to him and the party.
“Amar Singh saved me otherwise I could have been jailed for seven years in the disproportionate assets case against me. Shivpal has stood by me through thick and thin and during the ‘Emergency days’ when I was being hounded by the then regime,” he said.
“How could you abuse him (Amar Singh) like this? People say to me what kind of a son he is”, he said to Akhilesh.
“A good leader never muzzles the voice of his critics. And one who cannot take criticism can never become a good leader,” he said.
In his 55-minute speech, the SP patriarch pulled up son Akhilesh, saying he was surrounded by sycophants and was not willing to listen to his critics.
Pointing to CM supporters, who were raising slogans in his favour, Mulayam said they had not struggled for the party. “Ask these slogan-shouting supporters of yours whether they know what Samajwadi Party stands for?” he said. “I have always given respect to youths and still enjoy considerable following among them. But mere slogan shouting by camp followers and hurling allegations would not help. What is the stature of people who are writing letters against me and Shivpal?” he said.
He also told the chief minister: “If the BJP comes to power in UP, you will never be able to take the reins.”
Akhilesh, in his speech before Mulayam, had said that he would quit if ‘netaji’ asked him to
. Striking a conciliatory note, Mulayam said he knew that neither he nor Shivpal would defy him. “You (Akhilesh) will obey me and Shivpal will always do what I tell him to do. So, you run the government and he will run the party,” he said. As he was leaving the dais, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav touched his feet and reminded him that he had not wished him on his birthday today (Monday).