Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan's exorbitant efforts to please his master Mulayam Singh Yadav on his birthday has definitely paid off.

Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan's exorbitant efforts to please his master Mulayam Singh Yadav on his birthday have definitely paid off. So pleased was the 75-year-old veteran politican that he directed his son and Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav to fulfill all of Khan's demands and ensure that his constituency - Ramgarh - is turned into a model city.

So what did Azam Khan do for Mulayam? For starters, he imported a Rs 70 lakh victorian buggy from London which Mulayam rode for 14-km leading a motorcade of over 40 cars. When asked who had funded it, Khan sarcastically said: the Taliban.

Mulayam's two-day birthday bash also saw a 75-foot tall cake and firework displays in Lucknow. The leader of the UP's ruling Samajwadi Party laid the foundation stone for a medical college in Khan's constituency, besides distributing blankets to the poor which resulted in one death due to a stampede.

Praising Khan for his efforts to ensure the birthday celebrations went smoothly, Mulayam said: "We need to fulfil the aspirations of Azam and the people of Rampur. Not only announcements, but the work should start within 15 days. Whole government is sitting here and I am party chief, then what is the problem? Even if there is something, it will be taken care of by Azam,” The Indian Express quoted him as saying.

Chief Minister and Mulayam's son Akhilesh also declared the celebrations as a proud moment that many envied. "We saw the grand celebration, the fireworks and through TV the whole world saw people who are jealous of us," he told reporters. He also had a word of praise for Khan, saying: "I know you (Azam) have faced storms and strong winds. Let people say anything, Rampur will get the special status.”

An emotional Mulayam went on to assure the gathering that change will sweep Uttar Pradesh: "I don't know when I will get again the kind of respect and honour showered on me today. Since the entire cabinet and the chief minister are in attendance here today, I want to tell them to ensure that the poor and marginalised of the society are accorded as much respect as I was given," The Times of India reported.