I want Prateek to join politics: Sadhna Yadav, Mulayam's second wife

Lucknow: On the eve of the final phase of polls in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi war took a new turn with Sadhna Gupta Yadav, second wife of Mulayam Singh Yadav, saying that she now wants her son Prateek Yadav to join politics. Prateek’s wife Aparna is a candidate in the Assembly elections.

In an interview given to a news agency on Tuesday — a day before the final phase of polling is held in UP — Mrs Yadav said she would now assert herself and would not tolerate the humiliation of Netaji (Mulayam).

Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, when asked, said that he had no knowledge of the interview but added that anyone was welcome to join politics.

Mrs Yadav clearly expressed her displeasure over the recent family feud. She hoped that Akhilesh Yadav would live up to his promise and return the president’s post to Netaji. However, she clarified that there were no differences between her and Akhilesh Yadav and he always treated her with respect. “He has been misled by some people otherwise he would not have done what he did,” she said.

The interview, meanwhile, has again put the Samajwadi Party in a state of turmoil and senior party leaders are apprehensive that a fresh round of family war may begin even before the election results are out.

Sadhna Gupta Yadav commented on the family feud and said, “I feel bad about what happened in the family. A chief secretary was transferred and people said I was behind it. This is false, though I wish I was so powerful. However, no matter what, nobody should have disrespected Netaji, it is he who founded and nurtured the party,” she said.

Mrs Yadav said that she had also been insulted and would not step back now though she had remained behind the scenes all these years. “Ab hum peeche nahi hatenge, mera bohut apmaan hua hai,” she added.

She denied that the family strife began because of her. “I always treated Akhil-esh like my own son and made a lot of sacrifices. We never realised when Akhil-esh changed. Now I want to give a befitting reply to those who are responsible for all this.” She also took up cudgels on behalf of Shivpal Yadav and said that the latter had done a lot for Mulayam and he should not have been insulted. He did not make any mistake and should not have been insulted.