Mulayam Singh Yadav has a few tricks up his sleeve
Theatrics seems to be the way of life of Samajwadi Party (SP) president Mulayam Singh Yadav. The formation of Janata Parivar five months ago was only a part of this theatrics. But its break-up is not the end of it.
This was why soon after the SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav announced in Lucknow on September 3 that their parliamentary board has decided to contest on their own in Bihar Assembly elections, Mulayam flew to New Delhi for part two of this episode. Soon, the JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav, who has been apparently reduced into a dummy in the party by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, announced that he would meet Mulayam and sort out the problem. Later, he said everything was all right and Janata Parivar was very much intact. The RJD chief Lalu Prasad announced the same evening that he would meet Mulayam, his "guardian".
But there is a big question as to what made the powerful urban development and minority affairs minister Azam Khan stay away from the SP parliamentary board meetings. It goes without saying Azam has been clear in his own self right from the beginning that he wouldn't be into any decision-making process in which those are benefited whom he considers anti-Muslim, and "untouchables" in politics.
Observers believe that there is more to Mulayam's power games and they will emerge after the Bihar elections if the BJP fails to win enough seats to form the government. It is not important who will gain or lose in this episode. The important thing for Lalu and Mulayam is to ensure they not only gain politically in Bihar and UP respectively but also protect themselves from the CBI.
In a nutshell, the latest theatrics of Mulayam is to help Lalu. Lalu is debarred from contesting elections till 2024. Mulayam wants to strengthen Lalu in Bihar politics and is supposedly thinking of ways and means his punishment can be reduced. He also wants to protect himself and his son CM Akhilesh Yadav, whose developmental works may be overshadowed in 2017 UP elections.
Professor AK Verma, head of political science department of Kanpur's Christ Church College says, "The poor law and order situation is damaging Akhilesh more than his claims for development in constructing the Lucknow Metro and the expressway between Lucknow and Agra. What will people do with development if they don't survive under his rule?" "Further, new things are happening in politics these days.
Mulayam's prime ministerial ambition was finished completely in 2014. Lalu is convicted and cannot contest elections. Parties like the SP and the RJD are still running because of Mulayam and Lalu respectively.
"But time is running out of their hands. Mulayam would be 79 years old when the country goes for the next parliamentary elections. Lalu would be 76 years old when he gets a chance to once again contest elections. This anxiety is an addition to the sword of CBI probes hanging on them. Obviously, they are looking for new political experiments and new combinations", Prof Verma added.