Few hours after Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi addressed a joint Press Conference and carried out massive roadshow in lucknow on Sunday, Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav has directly opposed the alliance. He also said that he will not campaign for the alliance and the alliance is absolutely unnecessary.
“Main is samjhaute ke khilaaph hoon (I am against this alliance),” Mulayam Singh said this on Sunday.
The SP founder also said his party is capable of contesting elections on its own strength. He said the Ccongress has failed the people of India and the alliance is absolutely unnecessary. He also said he would urge the party workers to speak against the alliance and spread the word that he is against the alliance.
“The Congress has ruled the country for very long and that is the cause of the backwardness of India. I always held the opinion that we should never fight the election in alliance with the Congress because we feel that the SP is competent to contest the election on its own strength. When we fought alone we got the majority and formed the Government , so there was no need for the alliance and I am totally opposed to this alliance and I will not campaign during the elections’’, said Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday.
Mulayam Singh Yadav expressing his serious disagreement with his son over the denial of tickets to several sitting MlAs and some senior leaders said, “Our leaders who have been denied the party ticket, what will they do nowIJ They've lost their chance for the next five years.”
SP leader Juhi Singh said the party respects Mulayam's feelings, but will keep asking him to campaign.
Mulayam Singh on several occasions has expressed his displeasure with his son over his attempts to forge alliance with the Congress. He had also said that his son Akhilesh had ignored his views on the alliance and went ahead and sealed the deal with the Congress. He had also said that in 2012 assembly elections the election was fought under his leadership and on his face and the party got the mandate yet he made Akhilesh the chief minister. Mulayam Singh had also lamented that his son was working against his wishes.
Earlier in the day Akhilesh Yadav, during the joint press conference had parried the questions when he was specifically asked whether Mulayam Singh Yadav will campaign during the election. He had said the alliance has the blessing of Mulayam Singh Yadav.