Mulayam Singh Yadav, the patriarch of the Samajwadi Party and three-time chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, passed away at a private hospital near Delhi this morning. He was 82.
Yadav, who also served as the defence minister, breathed his last at 8:16 am due to prolonged illness at Medanta Hospital in Haryana’s Gurugram, the hospital said in a statement.
He was admitted to the ICU ward of the hospital more than a week back.
“My respected father and everyone’s Netaji is no more,” his son Akhilesh announced on Twitter.
Known as one of the tallest socialist leaders in India, Yadav was fondly called ‘Neta Ji’ by his crores of party workers and supporters.
As per the hospital, he was administered life-saving drugs for several days in the ICU ward.
Soon the news of his demise came out, tributes started to pour in with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading a host of Central ministers and senior BJP leaders.
In a series of tweets, PM Modi hailed the socialist leader as a “remarkable personality” and “key soldier for democracy during the Emergency”, adding that he is pained by Yadav’s demise.
“Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav Ji was a remarkable personality. He was widely admired as a humble and grounded leader who was sensitive to people’s problems. He served people diligently and devoted his life towards popularising the ideals of Loknayak JP and Dr. Lohia,” he wrote.
Mulayam Singh Yadav Ji distinguished himself in UP and national politics. He was a key soldier for democracy during the Emergency. As Defence Minister, he worked for a stronger India. His Parliamentary interventions were insightful and emphasised on furthering national interest. pic.twitter.com/QKGfFfimr8
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 10, 2022
President Droupadi Murmu also expressed grief, calling him “son of the soil”.
“The death of Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav is an irreparable loss to the country. The achievements of Mulayam Singh Yadav ji, who came from an ordinary environment, were extraordinary,” she wrote.
श्री मुलायम सिंह यादव का निधन देश के लिए अपूरणीय क्षति है। साधारण परिवेश से आए मुलायम सिंह यादव जी की उपलब्धियां असाधारण थीं। ‘धरती पुत्र’ मुलायम जी जमीन से जुड़े दिग्गज नेता थे। उनका सम्मान सभी दलों के लोग करते थे। उनके परिवार-जन व समर्थकों के प्रति मेरी गहन शोक-संवेदनाएं!
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) October 10, 2022
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati also condoled the death of Mulayam Singh Yadav.
समाजवादी पार्टी के व्योवृद्ध नेता व यूपी के पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री श्री मुलायम सिंह यादव जी के आज निधन हो जाने की ख़बर अति-दुःखद। उनके परिवार व सभी शुभचिन्तकों के प्रति मेरी गहरी संवेदना। कुदरत उन सबको इस दुःख को सहन करने की शक्ति दे।
— Mayawati (@Mayawati) October 10, 2022
He was born on November 22, 1939, in Saifai area of the Etawah district. At present, he was a member of Lok Sabha, representing the Azamgarh constituency of Uttar Pradesh.
Yadav rose in UP politics in a period of intense social and political ferment after the 1970s.
He emerged as one of the tallest leaders of the socialist movement in Uttar Pradesh and soon established himself as an OBC stalwart.
He first became the 15th Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister in 1989, cutting into the space of Congress, which has never come to power in the politically vital state since then.