UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya said that Akhilesh Yadav had lost the moral right to speak for backward communities by not paying last respects to Kalyan Singh. (Image: NEWS18/FILE)
The party asked if he did not do so to hurt his Muslim voter base, while the SP said Yadav had made a statement condoling the death of the former CM on August 22.
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In Uttar Pradesh, BJP has attacked Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav for not paying tribute to the former Chief Minister. Kalyan Singh, when asked whether he did not do so to not hurt his Muslim voter base. However, Samajwadi Party leaders said that Yadav had issued a statement condoling Singh’s death.
The body of Kalyan Singh was kept at his Mall Avenue residence in Lucknow on August 22 where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President JP Nadda paid their last respects. But no one from SP reached Singh’s residence including former CM Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh. State BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh on Tuesday asked why Akhilesh had not done so when he lived just a kilometer away from Kalyan Singh’s residence. “Was it the love of Muslim votes that prevented them from paying their last respects to the tallest leader of the backward community?” Singh asked. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said that Akhilesh has lost the moral right to speak for the backward community by not paying last respects to Kalyan Singh.
A senior SP leader told News18 that Akhilesh issued a statement on the morning of 22 August expressing deep sorrow over Singh’s death. “Akhilesh said that Singh has a special place in the politics of the state and will always be remembered as an able administrator. He also said that a void has been created in politics with Singh’s death. He said that Akhilesh was in Saifai for Raksha Bandhan on August 22 and had, in fact, left Lucknow last night. “The SP expressed grief over what we thought was appropriate and it should be remembered that Kalyan Singh was not our leader. The next day our local leaders were present at Singh’s funeral at Atrauli. BJP is the party that expelled Kalyan Singh twice and in fact, we stood by him at that stage and he became an MP – the political price we paid for. Why didn’t BJP make Kalyan Singh’s son Rajveer Singh a minister if they care so much for him? SP leader said.
However, Mayawati went to Singh’s residence to pay her last respects. A senior UP government official said the same was expected from Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh as Kalyan Singh was the former CM. SP has had a turbulent relationship with Singh as Mulayam Singh Yadav ordered firing on kar sevaks in Ayodhya, while Kalyan Singh as CM after Mulayam Singh Yadav had clearly stated that he would not make such orders. While Babri Masjid was demolished in Ayodhya.
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