Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party patriarch has kept his discomfort with son and party boss Akhilesh Yadav leading the party all by himself, a secret. Mulayam on Thursday went one step ahead and criticised Akhilesh Yadav for delaying the naming of party candidates and questioning the poll pact with Mayawati. “When I led the party, I had distributed tickets 14 month in advance. We then made the government”, said Mulayam Singh to party workers in a brief speech at the lawns of the party headquaters. He had also complained, “The BJP is ahead in campaigning”, Mulayam Singh Yadav told them bluntly right at the beginning of his speech and asked Akhilesh to quickly name his party candidates.
If he couldn’t keep pace, the SP patriarch offered to step in. “Look, so far, the tickets have not been decided. If he can’t decide, then ask me, I will distribute tickets,” he said.
Mulayam Singh Yadav also complained that his party will have fewer tickets because of his son Akhilesh Yadav's alliance with Mayawati. As part of this pact, the BSP and SP will contest on 38 seats each. “Look, now he has done the alliance with Mayawati…. And the seats have halved”, he said.
As he spoke about the son Akhilesh and his assessment of the political situation Mulayam Yadav said with disappointment, "“Now, I have been made patron. I can’t do anything."