The cycle has been the most humble mode of transport of masses. Despite its simplicity and commonplace availability cycle ride is one thing, which gives a sense of freedom, speed, mobility and unlimited joy to anyone who first learns to ride, at whatever age and at whatever strata of social stratification. It’s commonplace, it’s easy, it’s cheap, it moves on all kinds of track, irrespective of topography and condition of road or soil but most important of all it is trustworthy, never bothers one with what is called a “maintenance” charge.
Starting December 1993 — cycle — as a Samajwadi Party symbol twice catapulted Mulayam Singh Yadav to power, to chief minister’s post and since 2012 for an uninterrupted reign of power to his son Akhilesh Yadav. Mulayam had been the chief minister before he chose to ride the cycle as a Janata Dal leader for about two years from the end of 1989 to mid-1991. But then he had no ownership over Janata Dal’s ‘Chakra’. He chose to discard that collective Chakra and have his own cycle and since then his and his clan’s fortunes soared high.
Soon other Yadav clan members joined Mulayam but the faithful cycle unmindful of the weight kept moving on that too with greater momentum. Cycle gave Mulayam Singh Yadav’s clan unbridled power, money, high flying jets, Audis, Toyotas, BMWs, Mercedes etc., all the charms of a high life.
