Mulayam’s younger son prefers body-building to body politic

Sections of the Samajwadi Party may be clamouring that he contest the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Azamgarh, but Mulayam Singh Yadav's younger son Prateek Yadav is not interested as his priorities are different — such as spending hours in the gym and indulging in his passion of body-building.

The younger brother of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, 25-year-old Prateek studied management in Leeds and is a budding real estate developer. By his own admission, he is obsessed with physical fitness and exercises for two hours in the morning and an hour in the evening.

He will read any literature on fitness that he can lay his hands on. The websites he visits are about body building. And even the talk with Akhilesh revolves around fitness, he says.

"Politics is very difficult. It takes away your personal life. I cannot even imagine skipping my exercise schedule only to address a public meeting, I have my own priorities," Prateek told The Sunday Express when asked if he would give in to the pressure and contest the polls.

SP workers from Azamgarh have held demonstrations at the party headquarters twice in one month now demanding that he be named the candidate from their district. There is also speculation that he may actually choose Farrukhabad. But Prateek does not approve of the campaign.

"It should not have been done. Do I need a demonstration for getting the ticket?" he asked. It's a candid admission from someone whose family is steeped in politics.

First, there is father Mulayam Singh and brother Akhilesh. Akhilesh's wife Dimple is an MP. Uncle Shivpal Yadav is PWD Minister. Another uncle Ramgopal is also an MP and SP spokesman. Ramgopal's son Akshay has been named party candidate for Ferozabad. So isn't politics an obvious choice for Prateek?

... contd.

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