LUCKNOW: In the intra-family turmoil that lasted for over four months, there was one pillar of support for Akhilesh Yadav which very few people noticed -his wife and Kannauj MP Dimple Yadav. As her husband was pitted against the people who were his very own - father and uncle - it was a tightrope walk for Dimple, given her delicate position in the family and the party."She was the one who encouraged Akhilesh to keep his composure despite all-round attacks, which sometimes turned nasty. He was accused of breaking the family and dispossessing his own father, but if he chose to ignore these barbs, it was because of Dimple's influence. She was his confidante and adviser during this toughest period of his life," says a member of Team Akhilesh who is very close to the family. Insiders say it was Dimple's advice that ensured that despite growing tension in the family, Akhilesh's personal ties with his father never got strained, at least in public. He gave due respect to his father whenever there was an occasion -he took Yash Bharti awardees to meet Mulayam when the latter couldn't make it to the venue and got him to inaugurate his dream projects even when the intra-family strife was at its peak. The three kids of Dimple and Akhilesh also became a bridge between their father and grandfather.During the entire controversy, when Akhilesh was undergoing tremendous stress, Dimple not only took care of the household but also handled the social media activities for her husband's camp.With social media help, Dimple ensured that people's sympathy remained with her husband in the entire dispute.She also played a crucial role in initiating talks for the proposed alliance with Congress. It is said that in her role of an emissary, she developed a personal rapport with Priyanaka Gandhi. So much so that a Congress leader from Allahabad came out with a poster showing both Dimple and Priyanka.Dimple comes from an apolitical family and was a `reluctant' politician when she was asked to contest Firzoabad Lok Sabha bypoll when Akhilesh vacated the seat in 2009. Although she lost then, Dimple won unopposed in 2012 from Kannauj when Akhilesh vacated the seat to become the CM. She won it again in 2014 despite the Modi wave and has been taking keen interest in issues like woman empowerment and nutrition."Now that Akhilesh is officially the national president of SP, her responsibility increases manifolds.And in the present crisis, she has shown the mettle to shoulder them with aplomb," said an SP veteran.

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