Wrestler’s village wants SP to knock feud out of poll arena

Wrestler Narsingh Yadav’s village Nima in Varanasi wants the Samajwadi Party to put its feud on the mat.

Yadavs constitute almost every household in the village. They are fed up with the taunts by supporters of other parties over the bickering in the ruling party.

Narsingh’s father Pancham Yadav wants Akhilesh to seek Mulayam’s blessings before launching the poll campaign.

The wrestler’s mother Bhulana Devi says, “Youngsters should respect their seniors. They should not fight with them. They should seek their blessings, which bring good luck and yield the desired results.”

The villagers want Mulayam and Akhilesh to address the party’s first two election rallies together.

Narsingh’s uncle Videshi Singh says: “Unity between Netaji (SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav) and chief minister Akhilesh Yadav is necessary for the party’s success in the polls. It is already too late. Seniors should call for truce.”

Videshi, a former village head, keeps an eye on developments in the SP which he supports since its inception.

“People say that one who is fighting father and uncle will run the state. This is what we get to hear at tea stalls and sweet shops in towns and villages,” he says.

Read more: ‘Akhilesh is SP’s heart, Mulayam its heartbeat’

He advises Akhilesh not to fight Mulayam, for whom everyone in the village has great respect, at any cost.

“If the feud continues, the party will suffer badly,” he says.

Pardeshi Yadav, another villager, says: “Netaji has nurtured the party. He can’t be ignored. Akhilesh should understand that Netaji has struggled a lot to take party to this height. His standing has given respect to the whole Yadav community,” says Arvind Yadav, a villager in his early thirties.

Without unity, chances of success are bleak, Arvind Yadav says.

Rampyare Singh Yadav, the current village head, too hopes for an amicable solution.

Narsingh may join politics a few years later, says kin

Will wrestler Narsingh Yadav join politics a few years from now? His uncle Videshi Singh says the grappler taking the political plunge is a strong possibility. The inspiration came four months ago when chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said he was ready to offer a ticket to Narsingh for the assembly elections.

The chief minister talked about the offer when Narsingh met him at his official residence in Lucknow on September 6 after the doping controversy surfaced during the Rio Olympics, his uncle said.

Narsingh thanked the chief minister but said he wanted to spend some more time in the wrestling arena and may join politics arena a few years later.

“Narsingh shared the great news with me few days after calling on the CM. I was really overjoyed and advised him to go ahead,” Videshi told HT.

Videshi chose the suitable assembly constituency—Shivpur in Varanasi— for Narsingh. “I want to see my nephew as an MLA. He has dropped the idea to contest the assembly polls this time Hopefully, Narsingh will contest the next one,” Videshi said.

Read more: Disabled wrestler gives up ‘paan’ till Akhilesh wins UP ‘dangal’