By BOOM Team
Mulayam Singh Yadav, veteran politician and founder of the Samajwadi Party, died on Monday, aged 82.
The Samajwadi Party official Twitter handle tweeted a message from his son Akhilesh Yadav that read, "My beloved father and everyone's beloved Netaji is no more."
Yadav had been admitted to hospital since August 22.
The Samajwadi Party had said earlier this month that the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister was moved to the intensive care unit because of his ill health.
The tweet said that Yadav was stable and requested people not to come to the hospital. "We will keep providing timely updates on Netaji's health," the tweet said.
PTI reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath had reached out to Akhilesh Yadav to inquire about his health.
Congress leaders Priyanka and Rahul Gandhialso tweeted wishing him a speedy recovery. "We are all concerned to hear about the deteriorating health of Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav ji and are praying for his speedy recovery," Priyanka Gandhi tweeted.
Yadav has been chief minister of Uttar Pradesh thrice — between 1989-1991, 1993-1995 and 2003-2007. He was also defence minister between 1996 and 1998 when the United Front coalition was in power under former prime ministers HD Devegowda and IK Gujral.
Yadav formed the Samajwadi Party on October 4, 1992. He began his political career when he joined Ram Manohar Lohia's movement to fight for the right of farmers. He was first elected as an MLA in Uttar Pradesh in 1967. Yadav spent jail time during the 1975 Emergency when Indira Gandhi was prime minister.
