Mulayam absent at UPA II's last lap function

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, who was the cynosure of all eyes at the UPA anniversary function last year, was conspicuous by his absence tonight.
Instead, the pride of place was taken by BSP's Satish Chandra Mishra and Brajesh Pathak who did not attend the presentation of the 'Report to the People' but came in time for dinner.
No leader or MP from Samajwadi Party was present at the function.
Congress managers, however, downplayed the absence of Yadav with Union Minister Rajeev Shukla saying the absence of any party at the function does not mean that it was not supporting UPA.

Both the BSP leaders were seated at the same table as UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and UPA leaders like Sharad Pawar and outside supporters like RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan.
Amar Singh was seated on the same table but a Union Minister said the seat was reserved for Defence Minister A K Antony who had to move to the table of the Prime Minister.