Lalu, Sharad Yadav to attend Mulayam’s birthday bash in Sefai

Politics apart, the 76th birthday of Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav promises to be a grand show of bonhomie in the erstwhile Janata Parivar.

The function will kick off on the eve of the Samajwadi patriarch’s birthday on November 21 in Sefai village of Etawah district here. At the stroke of midnight, Mr Singh will cut a massive cake followed by a firework display and a live performance by music maestro A.R. Rahman. Amar Singh will be among the hosts at the function.

Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad Yadav, JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav and JD(S) leader H.D. Deve Gowda are among the VIP guests at the event. According to sources, invites for the birthday bash have also been sent to Amitabh Bachchan and his family, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Ajay Devgn.

The presence of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has not yet been confirmed since he will be sworn-in on November 20 and may not make it to the event.

The birthday celebrations will be held in the Sefai stadium where 50,000 guests are expected to attend, including 2,000 VIPs.

All hotels and motels in Etawah have been booked by the Samajwadis and special Swiss tents are being erected for the VVIP guests. Some guests of the family from outside India are also expected to be present at the birthday celebrations.

After the celebrations in Sefai, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and chief minister Akhilesh Yadav will return to Lucknow where the Samajwadi Party will celebrate its foundation day on the occasion.

A photo exhibition on the life and times of Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and seminars in every district on his political achievements will mark the occasion.

It may be recalled that in 2014, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav’s 75th birthday was celebrated in style in Rampur by senior minister Mohd Azam Khan and the extravaganza generated controversy over the source of funding.