The Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal (United) have dealt twin blows to the Congress, signaling their intention to maintain an arm’s length from the UPA.
While SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has kept alive the speculation that he might pull the plug on the UPA, the JD(U) was categorical in rejecting support to the Congress in return of special status for Bihar.
At a Holi Milan function at the party office in lucknow on Thursday, Mulayam claimed that elections could be held in November and asked candidates to work hard in their constituencies.
A day before Mulayam told a gathering at his native village, Saifai, that the Congress was a “cheat and clever”, and it did every thing keeping elections in mind.
“The (Congress) party waived farmers’ loans slightly and then the elections took place which saw the Congress winning by a convincing majority. They will do that again. They are so clever and cheat. They take people for a ride when the time comes,” Yadav said. Asking people not to fall prey to Congress’ tactics, Yadav also laid bare his national ambition. “State Governments do not mean much. They are like your patwari (revenue official) and the Government in Delhi is akin to your Collector,” Yadav said. His Chief Minister son Akhilesh Yadav set the target for party workers to see Mulayam on the “throne” in New Delhi.
The SP chief claimed that in the next lok Sabha elections, SP would be a kingmaker and the party members should work hard so that the party can be the key role player. He said the faith with which people installed a SP Government in Uttar Pradesh has to be reiterated in the lok Sabha elections too. Yadav’s attack on the Congress has created a political flutter with Opposition parties questioning the duplicity of the SP.
“It is nothing but hypocrisy. On one hand the SP saved the UPA Government after the DMK’s withdrawal of support while on the other hand, the party’s senior most leader says Congress has ditched people. He even says Congress policies are anti-people. If the policies of the UPA Government are anti-people why is the SP supporting it,” BJP State spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak asked.
The Congress hit back at Yadav for accusing it of being “cheat and clever” as it reminded him that he had shared the dais with PM Manmohan Singh when the UPA’s report was released last year. It asked Yadav to decide whether he was with secular or communal forces as it questioned his praise for BJP veteran lK Advani.
“We do not want to comment on the remarks of Mulayam Singh Yadav. He, himself, can explain it best. But only a few months back, Yadav shared the dais with the Prime Minister when the UPA’s report card on its three-year performance was released (last May).
“Now all of a sudden, he is criticizing Congress and its leadership and appreciating lK Advani and the NDA, whereas the fact is Advani and other BJP leaders had a role in the demolition of Babri Masjid and the communal riots at Ahmedabad and Godhra that took place during NDA rule,” party spokesperson Rashid Alvi said.
“As far as Mulayam Singh Yadav is concerned, we respect all our allies. He also knows in his mind that the basic polarisation in this country is communal versus secular forces. He will also have to decide which side he is on,” Manish Tewari told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
The disappointment for Congress from lucknow was doubled with the JD(U)’s announcement in New Delhi that it will not support the Congress, even if the Government at the Centre provides special status to Bihar.
“The JD(U) will welcome any move by the Centre to grant special status to Bihar, but it does not mean that the party will break out of the NDA coalition,” JD(U) spokesperson and general secretary K C Tyagi told reporters in New Delhi.
Tyagi was categorical in pointing out that special status to Bihar on the basis of its backwardness was ‘not a matter of bargain’ but it was the right of the State.
“Whether it is the UPA or the NDA, other backward States should also get such a status. It is the responsibility of the Central Government,” he said.
The JD(U) leader also denied that his party was discussing any proposal to extend support to the UPA Government if special status is accorded to Bihar.
“If the UPA Government does this (granting special status to Bihar), for which we have got signals during the Budget Session, we will welcome this. But the JD(U) has no such proposal to support the UPA or the Congress in lieu of this,” he said.
He also ruled out any possibility of the Third Front being formed before the Parliamentary elections next year.“We are part of the NDA and we have a coalition. We are already running a Government in Bihar. Sharad Yadav is the NDA convenor. So in that case there is no question of a Third Front,” he said.
