Don't care about victory or defeat: Mulayam to partymen

After the Lok Sabha polls debacle in Uttar Pradesh, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today told partymen not to care about "victory or defeat" in elections and to emphasise on strengthening the organisation.

''The ups and downs do come in politics. Don't care much about victory or defeat in elections. You should strengthen the party...,'' Yadav told partymen here amidst complaints of groupism within the party by district presidents.

At a review meeting after the Lok Sabha polls, party's district presidents produced their reports before the party supremo, raising issue of groupism within the party and non-cooperation by party ministers and legislators in the campaign.

Mulayam asked the party leaders to gear up to face the challenge and continue their fight for poor and downtrodden by trying to redress their grievances.

The ruling SP in the State was reduced to only 5 seats in the Lok Sabha polls (as compared to 23 seats in 2009) while BJP and its ally Apna Dal clinched 73 seats while Congress got two seats only.

Among the five seats, Yadav alone got two seats -- Mainpuri and Azamgarh. Rest three are Kannauj, Badaun and Firozabad won by his daughter-in-law Dimple Yadav and nephews Dharmendra Yadav and Akshay Yadav respectively.

The party had earlier held meetings with defeated party candidates and had yesterday sacked 36 SP leaders having MoS status in the State government.

Chief Minister and SP state president Akhilesh Yadav was also present at the meeting.