One of the most popular socialist leaders who changed the political dynamics of Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam Sigh Yadav, recently passed away. A mascot of Mandal politics, his death marks the end of an era in UP politics, in which he strode like a colossus during a career spanning over five decades. Trained as a wrestler, he chose the political dangal as his stage, where he set new rules and dominated the game. While his political career had its own share of setbacks and successes, the three-time chief minister will be remembered for bravely stalling the Hindutva wave in the Hindi heartland. What set him apart from other politicians was his ability to bring social coalitions together, ending the domination of the upper castes in power politics, giving voice to the marginalised, and empowering the backward classes.
However, on the flip side, Singh’s legacy is tainted by the unabashed pursuit of nepotism and caste politics and the induction of criminals into the party. The Samajwadi Party founder had inducted several family members and relatives into his party, who also got elected to the two Houses of the UP legislature and Parliament over the years. There was a time when more than 10 members of his family held important political positions. However, in the twilight years of his life, Mulayam, a seven-time MP and eight-time MLA, suffered a personal setback when his family got split into two warring camps due to the conflicting political ambitions of its members. He was staunchly secular and always stood up for the marginalised Muslim community. The right-wing group often referred to him as Maulana Mulayam. With his death, the SP has lost its towering figure who often kept the party together.