Saifai Mahotsav: Less glitz & glamour this time

LUCKNOW: The ongoing Saifai Mahotsav has little of the glitz and glamour associated with the annual jamboree organised by Mulayam Singh Yadav’s family in its pocket borough, a stark reflection of the changed political environment and the party’s priorities following its rout in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

After the family faced severe criticism last time for dishing out performances by Bollywood stars while victims of the Muzaffarnagar riots were shivering in relief camps, this time round it has limited this staple fare to January 8. The 14-day event at Yadav’s native village sports a slew of rural shows including a Indian Gramin Cricket League tournament, besides programmes on women’s empowerment.

SP is also using the fete as a launching pad to project the party chief ’s daughter-in-law Dimple Yadav as a front-ranking leader, with the Lok Sabha member from Kannauj overseeing a variety of shows including a body building competition for women.

There is a marked effort to project a religion-neutral image as well, prompted clearly by the counter polarisation in the LS polls which saw the SP, accused by the BJP of minority appeasement, biting the dust.