The Times of India Service
The Times of India
May 6, 1999
Title: SP protected nation from foreign power, claims Mulayam Singh Author: The Times of India Service Publication: The Times of India Date: May 6, 1999 Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav was inordinately courteous to the Lucknow press on Wednesday, describing it as an inseparable part of his family. Absolving the media of any wrongdoing over the questions on his party's likely alignment, he instead blamed the Congress and the BJP for trying to create confusion. Training his guns at the Congress, he said the Samajwadi Party had saved the country from foreign power by refusing to extend unconditional support for the installation of the minority Congress government led by Sonia Gandhi. When asked if he was opposed to Ms Gandhi's candidature only because she was a foreigner, Mr Yadav said his party opined that crucial posts like that of the president, vice - president, prime minister and Lok Sabha speaker should not be held by a foreigner. His view was echoed by Mohan Singh, a Samajwadi MP who said that he had moved a private member bill to this effect in the winter session of the Lok Sabha. However, the veiled attack against Ms Gandhi seemed to be part of a new strategy adopted by Mr Yadav to counter the offensive launched against him by the Congress. This was further indicated by his aggressive posture on certain remarks made against him by Uttar Pradesh Congress unit chief Salman Kursheed. Stating that he did not want to comment on Mr Kursheed, "who is not even equal to the stature of a Samajwadi Party district president," he claimed that he had enough material to prove that the Congress was playing into the hands of a foreign power and he would disclose everything at the appropriate time. When asked to comment on the rumour about a tacit understanding between him and the BJP, particularly chief minister Kalyan Singh who is on record having praised him for not extending support to the Congress, an irritated Mr Yadav said, "I fail to understand the basis for this question and if at all there is anything to be asked on this count, the BJP must be asked." Alleging that the BJP had called him Maulana Mulayam and anti-Hindu and indulged in a mud-slinging campaign against him, Mr Yadav stated that he was not interested in the Congress or the BJP as the parties were two sides of the same coin. He suggested the two parties merge with each other to pursue their hidden agenda of spreading caste and communal divides in the country. He declined to comment on the remarks of BSP leader Mayawati, saying that he had vowed not to do so. The former chief minister, exuding confidence of the emergence of a Third Front as a force to reckon with, said the Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha was intact despite recent differences. He said RLM convener Laloo Prasad Yadav had vowed to make it a success and there was no question to doubt his intention. Mr Yadav also revealed that during recent telephonic conversations, Mr Laloo Yadav had assured him that nothing could separate the two leader. "I have no reason to see malice in his intention," Mr Yadav remarked, adding that his party had kept its poll alliance options open.
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