Back in Samajwadi Party after six years, Amar Singh on Tuesday said he knows his limitations and will in no way overshadow Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav with the “uncle syndrome”.
Mr. Singh said he has also learnt a lesson not to take a stand and be “pragmatic like the Bachchans”.
“I will maintain balance in politics and family ties. That means, Akhilesh on one hand is nephew and Chief Minister on the other,” he said, adding he will in no way overshadow CM with “uncle syndrome”.
“I am member of undeclared ‘Margdarshak Mandal’ of SP. It will be active or dormant depending on our new leader Akhilesh. I have no reason to complain or sulk. I have played my innings. Now I will be cool, patient, dormant and non-competitive in my approach,” Mr. Singh said.
Taking lessons from the past, the newly elected Rajya Sabha member said he will not be over enthusiastic in taking initiatives and will not try to overshadow Mr. Akhilesh.
“Unless told, I don’t want to take unnecessary interest and initiative which can be counter-productive and imprudent. I am not here for power politics and placement,” Mr. Singh said.
“In the past six years, pragmatic shift of power has taken place and is active. The next in command is Akhilesh Yadav. My love, affection is with him due to personal relations,” he said, adding he had learnt to live without any assignment.
He said after a gap of six years, there is “emergence of new successful brigade” in the party and it will be thing of “observation and learning” for him.
About party leader Azam Khan’s stand against him, Mr. Singh said, “Anyone close to Mulayamji in any way is adorable to me and criticism of Azam against me will be full of reasons and I respect that.”
On uniting Thakur community for the party ahead of the 2017 U.P. Assembly polls, Mr. Singh said, “I don’t want to become leader of any casteist block.”
