Samajwadi Party supremo, former Uttar Pradesh CM Mulayam Singh Yadav dies at 82

Samajwadi Party founder and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav died at the age of 82 on Monday (October 10) after a prolonged illness. His condition was "critical" for several weeks and the leader was kept on life-saving drugs at Gurugram's Medanta Hospital.

"Mere adarniya pitaji aur sabke netaji nahi rahe - Akhilesh Yadav," the SP tweeted from its Twitter handle.

Mulayam was admitted in the hospital since August and was shifted in ICU on October 2. On Sunday, October 9, Medanta Hospital had put out a health bulletin stating that the veteran leaders condition was quite critical and that he was on life-saving drugs.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Mulayam Singh Yadav in a series of tweets, calling him a "remarkable personality".

President Droupadi Murmu expressed condolences to Mulayam Singh Yadav's family and said that leaders across party lines respected the veteran politician. 

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also expressed grief at the senior politician's passing.  

Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid tribute to Mulayam Singh Yadav at Medanta Hospital. 

Uttar Pradesh government has announced a three-day state mourning. The last rites of Mulayam Singh Yadav will be held at Saifai, his ancestral village in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav's office said.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath has said that the last rites of the veteran politician will be held with full state honours, reported ANI.

A veteran politician:

1. Mulayam Singh Yadav was a three-time Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. 
2. He was also the Union Defence Minister from 1996-98. 
3. He was elected a Lok Sabha MP from Mainpuri, Azamgarh and Sambhal constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.
4. Born on November 22, 1939, he rose to political significance during the 70s. 
5. He was a wrestler when he was noticed by the then MLA of Jaswantnagar in Mainpuri, Nathu Singh, who gave him a start in politics.
6. He established himself as a champion of OBCs and Muslims in Uttar Pradesh. 
7. Famously, when BJP-led Kar sevaks threatened to march towards the disputed Babri mosque in Ayodhya in 1991, he ordered firing on the Kar sevaks.