Remembering Mulayam Singh Yadav: A life in pictures

Mulayam Singh Yadav (1939- 2022)

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   Mulayam Singh Yadav, founder of the Samajwadi Party and three-time Uttar Pradesh chief minister, passed away on Monday. (Express archive photo by Mohan Bane)

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   The veteran leader rose in UP politics in a period of intense social and political ferment after the 1970s, when the OBC movement was gaining strength. (Express file photo by Vishal Srivastav)

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   Emerging as a socialist leader, Mulayam established himself as an OBC stalwart, capturing a swathe of political space vacated by the Congress. Seen here with PM Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and son and former UP CM Akhilesh. (Express file photo by Vishal Srivastav)

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   A wrestler-turned-teacher, Mulayam was born on November 22, 1939, in Etawah, and completed his MA (Political Science) and B.Ed degrees. (Express photo by Prem Nath Pandey)

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   He took oath as UP's 15th CM in 1989, which marked the year when the Congress was voted out, failing to return to power in the state ever since. Seen here with RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav. (Express archive photo)

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   Months before the elections to the 10th UP Assembly in 1989, Mulayam joined the VP Singh-led Janata Dal and was appointed its UP unit chief. Seen here is eminent Hindi-language poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan being felicitated by then-UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav at his residence. His son, actor Amitabh Bachchan and wife Teji Bachchan are also there. (Express archive photo)

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   After having emerged as the key Opposition face, he started a statewide Kranti Rath yatra. His rallies featured a theme song, “Naam Mulayam Singh hai, lekin kaam bada fauladi hai”. Seen here is his 82nd birthday celebrations, in the presence of son Akhilesh and cousin Ram Gopal at state Samajwadi Party head office in Lucknow. (Express Photo)

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   In 1992, Mulayam founded his own party, the Samajwadi Party, which has remained a leading player in UP politics since. Here, Mulayam is seen with his brother and Samajwadi Secular Morcha founder Shivpal Singh Yadav at Lohia Trust in Lucknow, on the occasion of socialist leader Dr Ram Manohar Lohia's death anniversary. (Express Photo by Vishal Srivastav)

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   Mulayam was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1996 polls and served as the defence minister in the United Front governments led by HD Deve Gowda and, later, IK Gujral. Here, he can be seen protesting outside the Parliament. (Express Photo by Anil Sharma)

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   He also contested successfully a number of subsequent Lok Sabha elections, including the 2019 polls, from various seats across UP. Here, BSP supremo Mayawati and Mulayam are seen sharing the same stage, a rare occasion. (Express Photo by Vishal Srivastav)

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   Mulayam was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1996 polls and served as the defence minister in the United Front governments led by HD Deve Gowda and, later, IK Gujral.(Express Archive photo)

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   Mulayam took oath as the CM for the second time after the 1993 polls, in which the SP won 108 seats. (Express Archives)

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   As the defence minister, Mulayam was known for promoting Hindi in the defence establishments’ correspondences. (Express photo by Vishal Srivastav)

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   Amid growing social fragmentation and the BJP wooing several non-Yadav OBC castes, Mulayam was then increasingly being perceived as a leader of Yadavs and Muslims. (Express Archive)

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   In the 2012 polls, when the SP won a majority and formed its government, Mulayam transferred the leadership mantle to his son Akhilesh Yadav, letting him take over as the CM. (Express photo by Anil Sharma)

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   Mulayam Singh Yadav was popularly known as “Netaji” in political circles (Express photo)

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   Known in the wrestling arena for his sudden moves, in politics, Mulayam was neither hesitant in speaking his mind nor implementing what he believed in. (Express photo)

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   Seen here with Mulayam Singh Yadav is West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (Express photo)

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   Mulayam is survived by Akhilesh, his son from his first wife, Prateek, a son from second wife Sadhna Gupta, and grandchildren, apart from his brothers. (Express photo)