New twist in 'Amar katha' triggers storm in SP

Former SP leader shares dais with 'guru' Mulayam after four years

Although Amar Singh tried his best to dispel the impression that he was trying to return to his old party, his mere presence on the dais with Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and the kind of reception accorded to him triggered a storm of sorts with senior leaders making their displeasure clear.

The occasion was the inauguration of India’s biggest park named after socialist leader Janeswhar Mishra for which almost all the senior SP leaders and ministers were present. But it was Amar Singh who stole the limelight.

Singh, who shared a stage with Mulayam and Akhilesh after four years, was accorded a warm reception by them. He not only exchanged pleasantries with them, but also sat beside Mulayam’s brother Shivpal Singh Yadav and was seen having a long chat with him. Singh was there on the invitation of Mulayam.

Though Singh sought to dismiss his presence as “personal” and “out of respect for the socialist leader”, he did mention that he was a “disciple of Mulayam”. 

“I am not a socialist...I am Mulayamvadi (Mulayamist),” he declared. He later told reporters that there was “political motive” in his attending the function.

Singh’s presence, however, triggered a storm in the SP and several senior leaders skipped the function. SP Lok Sabha members Dharmendra Yadav and Akshoy Yadav and Upper House member Jaya Bachchan were not present.

Even Ram Gopal Yadav, considered to be the think tank of SP skipped the programme. Senior SP leader and minister Azam Khan, a known Amar baiter, was reported to be “very upset”. He also skipped the function.

There were also anti-Amar Singh slogans when the former SP leader delivered a speech at the function. 

“Amar should not have been invited... it has sent a wrong message to the party workers... many senior leaders are upset,” said a senior SP leader, who was present at the function. 

Some SP leaders said that Singh’s term in theRajya Sabha was coming to an end later this year and he might be looking for a re-nomination from his old party.

Singh was expelled from the SP in 2010 on charges of “anti-party” activities. Film-actor-turned politician Jaya Prada was also expelled along with him.