Mulayam Singh Yadav critical, shifted to ICU

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Medanta hospital in Gurugram after his health deteriorated on Sunday. 

The 82-year-old leader is suffering from multiple age-related ailments and was admitted to the hospital on August 22. He is being treated under the supervision of oncologists Dr Nitin Sood and Dr Sushil Kataria. 

Mulayam's son and party president Akhilesh Yadav has left for Delhi from Lucknow.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh called up Akhilesh and inquired about Mulayam's health. "On getting information about the ill health of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, I talked to his son Akhilesh Yadav over phone and inquired about his well-being. I pray to god that he gets well soon," Singh later said in a tweet.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed concern over the SP leader's health. Rahul said: "Received the news of Mulayam Singh ji's ill health. I wish him a speedy recovery."

"We all are concerned about the deteriorating health condition of Mulayam Singh Yadav and are praying for his health," tweeted Priyanka.

DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin also expressed concern over Mulayam's health. He tweeted: "Worried about the health of Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party leader Thiru. Mulayam Singh. Hoping that he makes a full and quick recovery."

"Hope Shri Mulayam Singh ji is back to best health soon," RLD president Jayant Singh said on Twitter.

Mulayam, who founded the SP in 1992, is currently a member of parliament and represents Mainpuri constituency in the Lok Sabha. He was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for three non-consecutive terms. He also served as the defence minister in H.D. Deve Gowda government from 1996 to 1998.

Mulayam's wife Sadhna Gupta passed away in July due to lung infection. His first wife and mother of Akhilesh, Maalti Devi passed away in 2013.

Akhilesh was elected the SP president for the third consecutive time on Thursday. Taking over from his father, Akhilesh became the party president for the first time at an emergency meeting of the party in January 2017 and for the second time at the party's national convention in Agra in October the same year.