New Delhi:
Mulayam Singh Yadav is determined to give Amar Singh some tender love and care (TLC), whether it's wanted or not. After all, there's much at stake. After Amar Singh quit as General Secretary of the Samajwadi Party (SP), actor Sanjay Dutt followed. And Mulayam is worried that other Amar Singh loyalists will follow his cue.
So Amar Singh is being coaxed to attend the Sefai Mahotsav as the chief guest on the 21st of January. The festival was started by Mulayam Singh's government in 1995.
"Amar Singh is a respected guest for us. He will preside over the closing ceremony of Sefai Mahotsav. He is like an younger brother to me. Brothers sometimes have differences. That does not mean a break-up''. A telling statement from Mulayam's cousin, Ramgopal Yadav, who was cited by Amar Singh as one of his main reasons for deciding to quit his party posts.
Ramgopal Yadav's fraternal affection for Amar Singh blossomed apparently during some one-on-one time with Mulayam. Just 48 hours before this meeting, Ramgopal, also a senior Samajwadi Party leader, had attacked Amar Singh saying, ''He timed his resignation just before the MLC elections. It has affected the morale of party workers."
Ramgopal's supporters had ensured Amar Singh was missing from the posters for the Sefai Mahotsav. On Mulayam Singh's instructions, the posters themselves have disappeared. "This is a matter of the Samajwadi Party family. I speak to Amar Singh every day, on the phone," says Mulayam.
The healing touch seems to be working. "I will also attend the wedding at Ramgopal Yadav's home, if invited," said Amar Singh on Monday.
Amar Singh and Mulayam Singh Yadav were once inseparable. Now, Amar Singh blogs about his many problems with the party. Like the break-up, a rapprochement seems certain to be public.