Prime minister Narendra Modi may attend the funeral of Samajwadi Party founder and veteran politician Mulayam Singh Yadav at his native village of Saifai in Uttar Pradesh’s Etawah district on Tuesday. Sources said it is ‘highly likely’ the prime minister – in Gujarat ahead of elections in his home state – will travel to UP if weather conditions hold.
Mulayam Singh Yadav, a three-time former UP chief minister and also a former defence minister, died Monday morning at Gurugram’s Medanta Hospital. He was 82 years old.
Political leaders united to grieve the loss of ‘Netaji’, as Mulayam Yadav was fondly called. The prime minister called the Samajwadi Party patriarch a ‘remarkable personality’ and said he was someone admired as a ‘humble, grounded leader… sensitive to people’s problems’.
Mulayam Singh Yadavji distinguished himself in UP and national politics…” the prime minister tweeted and shared photos of meetings with the ex chief minister.
UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath and his Bihar and Telangana counterparts, Nitish Kumar and K Chandrasekhar Rao, also expressed their grief. All three are also expected at the funeral.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh will also be present, it is understood.
Meanwhile, Yogi Adityanath has announced a three-day state mourning and said the veteran politician’s last rites would be conducted with full state honours.
“The death of former UP chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadavji is extremely sad. His death has ended a prominent pillar of socialism and an era of struggle. I pray to God for peace to the departed soul and my condolences to the bereaved family and supporters,” he said.
