By PTI
LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday said that the country is witnessing “politics of change” and called on the youth to make it successful.
He was addressing SP workers at the party headquarters here during a function to celebrate his 82nd birthday.
He reached the SP headquarters with his son and party president Akhilesh Yadav.
The two were welcomed by party leaders including Ram Gopal Yadav and Dharmendra Yadav.
Hoardings were put up at Vikramaditya Marg, where the party headquarters are located, greeting Mulayam Singh on his birthday.
Party workers from across Uttar Pradesh gathered at the headquarters.
The highlight of the celebration was a cake and a laddu weighing 83 kg each, marking Mulayam Singh’s entry into his 83rd year.
The SP patriarch cut the cake and the laddu with Akhilesh Yadav.
Addressing the gathering, Mulayam Singh said the country is witnessing “parivartan ki rajneeti” (politics of change) and the youth, who are full of enthusiasm, should make it successful.
The Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections will be held early next year.
“Today you are celebrating my birthday but I will be happy if the birthday of even the poorest person is celebrated and birthdays of all of you are celebrated. You celebrate and invite me, I will come,” Mulayam Singh told the party workers.
Speaking at the event, Akhilesh Yadav asked his father to give his blessings to all the partymen.
Mulayam Singh’s younger brother and president of Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) Shivpal Yadav did not join the celebrations at the SP office.
Shivpal Yadav celebrated the occasion at Saifai in Etawah district, where he also attended a ‘dangal’ (wrestling championship).
Shivpal Yadav cut a large cake with his son Aditya Yadav and party workers at a stadium and offered it to Mulayam Singh’s photograph.
In a tweet in Hindi, Shivpal Yadav described his elder brother as a source of inspiration and the “flag-bearer of social justice” and wished him a long and healthy life.
Uttar Pradesh SP president Naresh Uttam said that the party is celebrating Mulayam Singh’s birthday across the state by distributing fruits, food and clothes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took to Twitter to greet Mulayam Singh on his birthday.
Modi said Mulayam Singh has made an important contribution to the politics of the country and wished him a healthy and long life.
“Hearty congratulations and best wishes to former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Mulayam Singh Yadav ji. Wishing Lord Ram to give you good health and long life,” Adityanath tweeted.
Aam Aadmi Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and Congress leader Pramod Tiwari reached Mulayam Singh’s residence to greet him on the occasion.
Rashtriya Lok Dal state president Masood Ahmad and party spokesperson Anil Dubey reached the SP office and greeted him.
Born on November 22, 1939, in Saifai village, Mulayam Singh was a teacher before he was elected to the state Legislative Assembly for the first time in 1967.
He has been the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh thrice — 1989-1991, 1993-1995 and 2003-2007.
He also served as the defence minister in the United Front government from 1996 to 1998.
