'Netaji' faces a 'chiraiyya' in Mainpuri

When Mulayam Singh Yadav contested his first election from Jaswant Nagar (Etawah) as a candidate of the Sanyukt Socialist Party, his election symbol then was ‘bargad’ (a banyan tree). It is this symbol which many of his old associates here now use to describe Mulayam’s growth.

“We are proud to see him grow like a mighty banyan tree sprouting fresh branches,” says Maj (Retd.) Naresh Chandra Batele, principal of Jain Inter College, where Mulayam used to teach political science in the 70s.

In the twin towns of Etawah and Mainpuri, ‘neta ji’ (Mulayam) has a larger than life presence. To the people here, he is much more than a candidate. He represents development and thus is the issue himself. As Batele says: “Here, people vote for Mulayam, not the Samajwadi Party.”

This time around, Mulayam is facing an unlikely foe - Tripti Shakya, a young folk singer who boasts of an Australian education and who became famous singing ‘bhajans’ in praise of Lord Krishna, who is the presiding deity of the Yadavs. Tripti, the BJP candidate, better known as ‘chiraiyya’ (bird), is the only singer whose cassette (“Kabhi Ram ban ke, kabhi Shyam ban ke”) has logged a sale of over one crore.

What is even more interesting is that earlier Tripti used to sing praises of Mulayam in SP rallies. Now she is using her immense popularity in these parts as a strong tool against her one-time mentor. “But that would not change the result, though it could make the margin slimmer,” says senior journalist Prabhat Chaturvedi.

Journalists and political watchers here are unanimous that the BSP has virtually given Mulayam a “walkover” by putting up a Shakya candidate. The Shakyas form the biggest votebank after the Yadavs. The logic is that a vertical split in this votebank would mean a clear victory for Mulayam.

Here people love to point out how this place has proved to be lucky for Mulayam. “In 1996, when he won from here, he became the Defence Minister, and even while he was preparing for the 2004 election from here, he became Chief Minister of UP,” says Raju Yadav, a local SP leader.

Mulayam’s friendship with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad is also the subject of animated discussion, but not because of any political gain or loss. “Laloo se pehle dosti ho jaati to ab tak nayee railway line ban jaati,” says Anil Yadav former SP MLA. (If the friendship with Laloo had happened earlier, the new railway line would have been laid by now.)

The reference is to the long-awaited railway line connecting Mainpuri to Etawah which is on the main line. People in Mainpuri regret that there is no direct train link from here to Lucknow. They feel once Mainpuri is connected to Etawah, about 56 km away, a new world of opportunities and development would open up. They believe as strongly that it’s only Mulayam who can say “open sesame” to this new world.