Mulayam's Political Moves Foiled By His Own Son

The diehard wrestler has a soft corner for his son.

- Ravinder Kumar

Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh is an old wrestler and a seasoned politician as well. While internal conflict in Samajwadi Party grew out of proportion and everybody began to believe that there was no way out and the party headed toward split, Mulayam played his master move. His master stroke proved once again that it is not only difficult to comprehend his moves but also literally impossible to anticipate his diplomacy.

Mulayam, who is an expert in ‘dhobipachhad’, made everybody understand that no one should be quick to draw any conclusion unless the wrestler himself flees from the arena.

Political history of Uttar Pradesh is a testimony to the fact that Mulayam is a sort of wrestler beyond all anticipations. It is very difficult to judge his next move. On the other hand, one doubts also if he has read the writing on the wall and decided to leave the arena for his son to have a free play. Or it is yet another move to dodge the opponents? One can still guess that the ageing wrestler is unable to make up his mind and take a final decision – to stay in the arena or quit. Is it the reason why Mulayam has become a laughing stock for his ever-changing statements?

Another reason may be that Mulayam, after arriving in Delhi, invited Akhilesh for one more round of talks and simultaneously announced that Akhilesh would be the chief ministerial candidate in the coming assembly election. It is an unwritten rule in power game that key to power is handed only to the son and not to any relative howsoever close he or she may be. Mulayam, too, knows this rule that if the key to power is not handed to Tipu (Akhilesh) Samajwadi Party can suffer a vertical split. It can also happen that if Mulayam fails to take a decision in time and someone else takes over the party command, then Akhilesh could become a rebel and desert him to repent in his old age.