The Congress party has expressed grief over the death of Samajwadi Party (SP) patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, saying his death is an irreparable loss to Indian politics and that his unparalleled contribution as Defense Minister and a strong advocate of social justice will always be remembered.
Mulayam Singh Yadav died on Monday at a hospital in Gurugram after a prolonged illness at the age of 82.
In a condolence message for the departed leader, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said the voice of socialist ideals has fallen silent with the demise of Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav.
As the defence minister of the country and the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, the contribution of Yadav will remain unforgettable, Mrs. Gandhi said in her message. More than that, his struggle for the oppressed and the downtrodden will always be remembered,” she said.
In this context, she pointed out that whenever there was a need to protect the constitutional values of the country, the Congress has always got his support.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hailed the Samajwadi Party patriarch as a “true warrior” of grassroots politics. “The death of Mulayam Singh Yadav is unfortunate. He was a true warrior of grassroots politics,” Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.
“I express my deepest condolences to all the bereaved family members, including  Akhilesh Yadav,” the former Congress chief said.
Gandhi also participated in a ‘Shok Sabha’ (condolence meeting) during the Bharat Jodo Yatra at 1 pm during a halt near Hiriyur in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi wrote on Twitter, “Received the sad news of the demise of Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav ji. His incomparable contribution to Indian politics as a former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Defense Minister of the Government of India, and a strong advocate of social justice will always be remembered. @yadavakhilesh and my deepest condolences to all the other loved ones.”
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “Mulayam Singh Yadav was a stalwart Lohiateleader and had fans in every party. He served as defence minister in (HD) Deve Gowda and (Inder Kumar) Gujral governments and then in 2002 by APJ Abdul Kalam. Played an important national role by proposing his name for the President.”
“May God give him a place at his feet and give strength to his family and supporters to bear this loss,” he wished.