Mulayam Singh Yadav's body arrives at native Saifai village

ETAWAH: The body of Samajwadi Party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav arrived at his native Saifai village here Monday evening, hours after the leader died at a Gurugram hospital.

The body was brought here from Gurugram’s Medanta Hospital.

It has been kept at Saifai Mela Festival for “darshan” and the cremation will take place on Tuesday afternoon.

Besides a large number of people who waited for the mortal remains at the venue, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, former MP Dharmendra Yadav and other family members were present when the body was taken out from an ambulance.

Mulayam's brother Shivpal Yadav was seen comforting Akhilesh Yadav, placing his hand on his shoulder as the latter broke down.

Soon after the body was laid for the last ''darshans'', Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh and BJP state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary arrived and paid their tributes.

They also extended their condolences to Akhilesh Yadav.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Chhatisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, Bihar CM Nitesh Kumar are likely to arrive here.

Traders in the district have decided to keep the markets closed on October 11 as a mark of respect to their leader. Yadav, a former defence minister who had also served as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh three times, passed away at 82 on Monday.