Much to the embarrassment of senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani, National Democratic Alliance convenor George Fernandes on Friday reiterated his intention of campaigning for the Samajwadi Party, led by Mulayam Singh Yadav, in Uttar Pradesh.
Emerging after an hour-long meeting with the senior BJP leader, Fernandes, one of the founders of the NDA, said there was 'no contradiction' in his stand because the NDA was a 'platform of political parties.' He also said the issue did not figure in the meeting.
Advani's meeting with the NDA convenor was the first after the CBI filed a case against Fernandes in connection with the purchase of Barak missile system for the Indian Navy. However, the BJP has fully backed
him, saying that nobody could find fault with his personal integrity.
The meeting also takes place in the background of Fernandes' recent remarks that he will 'happily leave the NDA' if he was not wanted after the reports that the Janata Dal United) had asked the NDA to remove the former defence minister from the convenor's post.
He had also attended the meeting convened by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday at Lucknow, marking the death anniversary of veteran socialist leader Late Ram Manohar Lohia, where he had announced that he will campaign for Yadav's party.
With this development, the NDA is in a piquant situation in UP where the BJP is fighting on its own battle while its NDA partner, the JD (U), has announced its intentions to fight with Apna Dal, led by Sone Lal Patel.
