Saifai Mahotsav

During his time as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav had ensured that the Saifai Mahotsav organised in his native village in the Etawah district every December since 1997, became a high ticket affair with a galaxy of actors coming in for star-studded Bollywood nights each year.

The 17-day annual Saifai Mahotsava came to an end here with dazzling performances by Bollywood personalities even as the last day of the event was marred with clashes in which two policemen were injured and several vehicles were damaged.

In Uttar Pradesh, this is the ruling Samajwadi Party's biggest annual event. Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's brother played the drums to signal the start of the "Saifai Mahotsav" in Mr Yadav's native village on Saturday.

As the annual 'Saifai Mahotsava' began with much fanfare Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was conspicuous by his absence on the inaugural day triggering speculation he might be "upset" with expulsion of two of his close aides from the party.

For people of Saifai, the native village of Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, it is like Diwali all over again.

The Saifai Mahotsav is a Yadav event all the way and this year it was organised by Mainpuri MP Tej Pratap Yadav and Badaun MP Dharmendra Yadav, one a grand-nephew and the other a nephew of Mulayam Singh.

The Saifai Mahotsav, the annual festival in Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh's village, started on a low key this year. But it witnessed something that earlier festivals did not - a folk song performance by Mr Singh himself.

The ruling Yadav clan of Uttar Pradesh was present in full force at Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav's home district Mainpuri on Friday to launch the 17th edition of Saifai Mahotsav, which was inaugurated by party MP Jaya Bachchan.

Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt told NDTV that she doesn't regret performing at the much-criticised Saifai Mahotsav but added: "In life, I need to be more aware."

Salman Khan spent this afternoon with the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on the kite-flying festival of Uttarayan or Makar Sankranti.

Superstar Salman Khan, who was also amongst the performers at Saifai, says the filmmaker needn't be apologetic about his daughter's "upbringing".

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today defended a grand festival including a Bollywood dance night at his ancestral village Saifai, which has been widely criticized as a display of appalling insensitivity at a time thousands are suffering in riot-affected Muzaffarnagar.

Actor Salman Khan, pilloried for performing at the Saifai Mahotsav in Uttar Pradesh where thousands of people in riot-hit Muzaffarnagar are struggling to survive, on Thursday said the event was an opportunity for him to help people.

Soha Ali Khan says that contrary to the reports she did not participate in Saifai Mahotsav cultural event at the ancestral village of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh.

Actor Salman Khan, pilloried for performing at the Saifai Mahotsav in Uttar Pradesh where thousands of people in riot-hit Muzaffarnagar are struggling to survive, on Thursday said the event was an opportunity for him to help people.

During his time as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav had ensured that the Saifai Mahotsav organised in his native village in the Etawah district every December since 1997, became a high ticket affair with a galaxy of actors coming in for star-studded Bollywood nights each year.

The 17-day annual Saifai Mahotsava came to an end here with dazzling performances by Bollywood personalities even as the last day of the event was marred with clashes in which two policemen were injured and several vehicles were damaged.

In Uttar Pradesh, this is the ruling Samajwadi Party's biggest annual event. Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's brother played the drums to signal the start of the "Saifai Mahotsav" in Mr Yadav's native village on Saturday.

As the annual 'Saifai Mahotsava' began with much fanfare Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was conspicuous by his absence on the inaugural day triggering speculation he might be "upset" with expulsion of two of his close aides from the party.

For people of Saifai, the native village of Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, it is like Diwali all over again.

The Saifai Mahotsav is a Yadav event all the way and this year it was organised by Mainpuri MP Tej Pratap Yadav and Badaun MP Dharmendra Yadav, one a grand-nephew and the other a nephew of Mulayam Singh.

The Saifai Mahotsav, the annual festival in Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh's village, started on a low key this year. But it witnessed something that earlier festivals did not - a folk song performance by Mr Singh himself.

The ruling Yadav clan of Uttar Pradesh was present in full force at Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav's home district Mainpuri on Friday to launch the 17th edition of Saifai Mahotsav, which was inaugurated by party MP Jaya Bachchan.

Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt told NDTV that she doesn't regret performing at the much-criticised Saifai Mahotsav but added: "In life, I need to be more aware."

Salman Khan spent this afternoon with the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on the kite-flying festival of Uttarayan or Makar Sankranti.

Superstar Salman Khan, who was also amongst the performers at Saifai, says the filmmaker needn't be apologetic about his daughter's "upbringing".

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today defended a grand festival including a Bollywood dance night at his ancestral village Saifai, which has been widely criticized as a display of appalling insensitivity at a time thousands are suffering in riot-affected Muzaffarnagar.

Actor Salman Khan, pilloried for performing at the Saifai Mahotsav in Uttar Pradesh where thousands of people in riot-hit Muzaffarnagar are struggling to survive, on Thursday said the event was an opportunity for him to help people.

Soha Ali Khan says that contrary to the reports she did not participate in Saifai Mahotsav cultural event at the ancestral village of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh.

Actor Salman Khan, pilloried for performing at the Saifai Mahotsav in Uttar Pradesh where thousands of people in riot-hit Muzaffarnagar are struggling to survive, on Thursday said the event was an opportunity for him to help people.