Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav has almost bowed out of the 2017 Assembly campaign. He will take on the role of a mentor and adviser and may address a few election meetings.
Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav has almost bowed out of the 2017 Assembly campaign. He will take on the role of a mentor and adviser and may address a few election meetings.
The publicity campaign being finalised for the Assembly elections focuses on CM Akhilesh Yadav and Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav has been relegated to the sidelines.
The 2012 election anthem “Mann se hai Mulayam” has also been replaced with a new ditty that goes “Tarakki ka shubharambh, pragati ka Sri Ganesh.... Akhilesh, Akhilesh”.
The song has been composed and sung by playback singer Javed Ali and the lyrics have been penned by party veteran Uday Pratap Singh, who is presently chairman of UP Hindi Sansthan.
Mr Singh has been writing for the party since 1984 and is in the process of writing a couple of more songs for the 2017 elections. “It is on the instructions of Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav that the focus is being kept on Mr Akhilesh Yadav. Netaji (as Mulayam is known in party circles) wants Akhilesh to get the advantage of the work he has done as chief minister and does not wish to cast his shadow on the young leader,” said a party functionary.
The tag line for hoardings and banner also focus on Mr Akhilesh Yadav, the more popular ones being “Kaho dil se....Akhilesh phir se” and “Gaon gaon Akhilesh”.
Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, sources said, wanted to focus on national politics where equations were changing at an alarming pace. He would, however, keep an eye on the party affairs in Uttar Pradesh and guide his son whenever required.
