Our Political Bureau
The Economic Times
May 11, 1999
Title: Mulayam justifies shattering Sonia's dreams to be the PM Author: Our Political Bureau Publication: The Economic Times Date: May 11, 1999 In a clear attack on Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who had accused him in Lucknow recently of aiding the BJP by withholding support to the Congress, Mulayam Singh Yadav today justified his party's decision to not elevate the main opposition to power. "For both personal gains and political reasons, Ms Gandhi would have undermined the very democracy, economic sovereignty and independence of the country," he said. "The Samajwadi Party is proud that, by not supporting Ms Sonia Gandhi, it has saved the country from becoming a puppet in the hands of foreign forces even while strengthening the Third Front," Mr Yadav added. In an article headlined "Who are the real friends of the BJP?" penned by him, the chief of the Samajwadi Party, who appears to be increasingly jittery about the Congress' plans to poach on his votebank in UP, maintained "It was Ms Sonia Gandhi who paved the way for the growth of communalism by not taking the initiative early enough against the BJP. Thus, she allowed it to grow roots in power." Crucially, Mr Yadav did not spare the CPM, CPI and even bosom ally in the RLM, Laloo Prasad Yadav, for the soft corner they nursed for the Congress, notwithstanding Mr H K S Surjeet's recent reiteration of support to the SP. In an apparent reference to those of his friends who sup-ported the formation of a Congress-led government during the recent crisis, the SP chief said, "Now that the Congress has been exposed in its true colours, those parties in the Left front and elsewhere which are still loyal to Congress will realise their mistake soon." By rejecting Jyoti Basu's name for prime ministership, Ms Sonia Gandhi has given a clear signal of her derision for the Third Front, including the Left, he said. As if this were not enough, he scoffed "It looks like these leaders of the third Front) have surrendered before Ms Sonia Gandhi as if she were above principles and country's interests." The Congress, he said, had chosen to adopt this strategy al though the SP was the first and the earliest among the anti-BJP parties to urge the main opposition to make a decisive move to overthrow the BJP-led arrangement at the Centre. Warning the Congress not to indulge any more in 'personal canards' and 'hate campaigns,' he cautioned that anymore 'fresh lies' on the Congress' part would force the SP to repay in kind.
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