New Delhi. The Central Government announced the Padma Awards on Wednesday. A total of 106 people have been given this biggest honor of the country. SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav is also among them. It has been announced to give Padma Vibhushan, the second highest honor to Mulayam Singh. Mulayam Singh was the CM of UP 3 times and also the Defense Minister at the Center. The Central Government’s announcement of awarding Padma Vibhushan posthumously to Mulayam Singh Yadav is being seen as a major political step ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This is such a step that SP President and Mulayam’s son Akhilesh Yadav can get stuck in ‘yes or no’.
The reason for this is that the entire politics of SP has been anti-BJP. Akhilesh Yadav is constantly attacking the BJP and its governments. In such a situation, the central government of BJP has opened two ways in front of him. Either Akhilesh Yadav should accept the Padma Vibhushan honor given to father Mulayam, or he should announce to return it. Whichever step Akhilesh chooses out of the two, it can create problems for his politics. If he takes the honour, leaders like Asaduddin Owaisi, Congress and BSP supremo Mayawati may get a chance to say that SP and BJP have internal relations. On the other hand, if Akhilesh Yadav rejects the honour, BJP will get an opportunity to corner him.
BJP has been alleging earlier also that Akhilesh Yadav betrayed his father Mulayam Singh Yadav. This was also made an issue by the BJP during the UP assembly elections and the Lok Sabha by-election held in Mainpuri in the past. If Akhilesh Yadav refuses to accept the Padma Vibhushan award given to his father Mulayam Singh, then BJP will get a big opportunity to call Akhilesh a traitor by taking Mulayam’s name. BJP will then be able to allege more loudly that Akhilesh Yadav does not even want to honor his father. Now everyone’s eyes are on Akhilesh to see how he reacts to the respect given to his father. Because they do not see the middle way at the moment.