Sudarsan Pattnaik pays sand art tribute to Mulayam Singh Yadav at Odisha's Puri beach

After Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav passed away at the age of 82, sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a sand sculpture paying last tribute to the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. The Samajwadi Party founder was undergoing treatment at the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram since August 22 and since then, his condition remained critical.  

The sand artist shared a picture of the sand art that he created to pay tribute the Uttar Pradesh's 'Netaji' Mulayam Singh Yadav. Taking to Twitter, Pattnaik wrote, "Tribute to former UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav. Om Shanti. My Sand Art at Puri beach in Odisha."

Tributes poured in for the political stalwart

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Speaker of the Lok Sabha Om Birla were some of the many leaders who condoled the demise of Mulayam Singh Yadav. 

Terming it a big loss to India, PM Modi recalled that Yadav had blessed him after he was declared as the PM candidate of the BJP for the 2014 Lok Sabha election. Moreover, he also highlighted that the SP patriarch had predicted his re-election as the PM in 2019 on the floor of the Lok Sabha. The Prime Minister then extended his condolences to Yadav's dear ones and supporters. 

Taking to Twitter, the Indian National Congress mourned the demise of Mulayam Singh Yadav. "The death of Mulayam Singh Yadav, the patron of the Samajwadi Party, former Defense Minister of the country, and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, is an irreparable loss to Indian politics. May God give him a place at his feet and give strength to his family and supporters to bear this loss," read INC's official statement.

Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel said that it is like a collapse of a stone of the Indian democratic foundation. "The news of the death of Mulayam Singh Yadav 'Netaji', the socialist leader and son of the soil of Uttar Pradesh, is like the collapse of a stone of the Indian democratic foundation. As the former Chief Minister of UP, and Union Minister, he served the public. He stood against communalism throughout his life. Peace," he tweeted.