‘He Could Have Never Become CM If He Was Not My Son’ 

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Saturday launched a scathing attack on his son, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, saying, “You are in the position only because you are my son and not on your abilities.” He must remember that he never had any political standing, Mulayam said about son at a party workers meet after his efforts to bring about peace between the warring uncle Shivpal and Akhilesh failed.

Indicating that he probably made a mistake by ignoring his brother Shivpal’s advice of not letting Akhilesh Yadav become the chief minister in 2012, Mulayam said Akhilesh was offended by his uncle’s suggestion. “In 2012, Shivpal opined that I should become the chief minister for the fourth time, and Akhilesh must be crowned only after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Akhilesh has been miffed with Shivpal ever since.”

In fact, that would have been better as Akhilesh could get only five MP seats in 2014. “What happened despite his being the CM? Only five members from the family won. If I had listened to Shivpal, we would have won 30-35 seats and I would have been the PM.”

Praising Shivpal for his efforts in consolidating the support base of SP, Mulayam questioned Akhilesh’s contribution towards the political success of the party.

“If Akhilesh is unhappy because of the appointment of Shivpal as the party president, he should remember that people have accepted him as CM because he is my son. He never had any individual standing in politics,” he said.

The SP supremo said Akhilesh won the 2012 elections because of the promising party manifesto drafted by him along with Shivpal and cousin Ram Gopal Yadav. Terming the CM’s ambitious projects like Metro as unnecessary, Mulayam said funds allocated for the project could have been used for welfare of farmers.

Mulayam’s Praise For Amar Singh

Besides all out praise for Shivpal, Mulayam also said Amar Singh had stood by him when all others had dumped him after a CBI probe began against him, putting an end to speculation of action against the Thakur leader, at least in the near future.

Mulayam also praised Gayatri Prasad Prajapati and Balram Yadav – calling them useful for the family. “Shivpal put his very life at stake for us on several occasions. What was the need to change his portfolios? Why did Akhilesh throw him out? If the two had any issues, they could have sorted them out between themselves,” he said.