Mulayam's 'selective' support for Congress
Union Defence Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today ruled out his Samajwadi Party quitting the United Front.
The SP, however, would selectively extend support to Congress candidates wherever they are in a position to defeat the ''communal'' Bharatiya Janata Party, Yadav told the media. He said he would campaign actively for the UF candidates.
In no event would he allow -- if he could -- secular votes to be divided to benefit the BJP in the general election.
He said he was opposed to blind anti-Congressism and criticised those in the Front who considered that party an untouchable. ''If that is the case, why was the Congress support taken by the UF
government?'' he asked.
Yadav conceded that he was ''really angry'' with the UF because
it delayed the recommendation on the dissolution of the Lok Sabha. This gave an opportunity to the BJP to indulge in horse-trading. Now that there are no such chances, he was firmly with the UF.
He said the Samajwadi Party had given the ''maximum co-operation''
to the UF, sacrificing its self-interest. He said he withstood pressures
from various corners that he (Yadav) be the prime minister after the H D Deve Gowda ministry resigned.
Keeping the Front united was the motive, and his party had succeeded in that, he said.
Asked whether his party would have an alliance with the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, Yadav said things had not reached that
stage.
He also declined to comment on the SP's relationship with the Bahujan
Samaj Party. ''You have seen their behaviour twice. I
don't want to say anything.''
The UF has already announced that its election strategy in Uttar Pradesh would be based on the SP's advice.
As for the Rashtriya Janata Dal, it was up to the UF core committee to decide on the issue, he said.
The SP chief said his party was strong enough in Uttar
Pradesh to defeat the BJP and it would do everything possible
to defeat the saffron brigade candidates in Maharashtra.
On the possibilities of taking the Akali Dal into the UF fold, Yadav said it had ''unnecessarily' aligned with the BJP in Punjab. They could have emerged on their own without the BJP's
crutches.
He also took a dig at Samata Party president George
Fernandes for aligning with the BJP. He was an ''international
socialist turned advocate of communal forces'' in Parliament, he
said.
UNI
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