Country seeing politics of change, youth should make it successful: Mulayam

Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday said that the country is witnessing the "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.

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.

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, 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 partymen.

According to an SP leader, Mulayam Singh's brother and president of Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) Shivpal Yadav did not join the celebrations at the SP office.

"Shivpal ji is in Saifai and will be attending a 'dangal' (wrestling championship) that he organises every year on 'netaji's' (Mulayam Singh) birthday," the party leader said.

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.

AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and Congress leader Pramod Tiwari reached Mulayam Singh's residence to greet him. 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 of Uttar Pradesh's Etawah district, 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.