BJP dares Mulayam to act against ‘corrupt’ SP leaders

The BJP’s reaction came a day after Mulayam indicated that he would back his brother and state Cabinet minister Shivpal Yadav.

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The BJP asked whether Mulayam Singh Yadav, the ruling party supremo, would put his son above the state’s interests.

IN A bid to cash in on the apparent division in Samajwadi Party ahead of next year’s Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP Tuesday asked whether Mulayam Singh Yadav, the ruling party supremo, would put his son above the state’s interests and take action against party leaders accused by his brother of being involved in land-grabbing and other illegal businesses.

The BJP’s reaction came a day after Mulayam indicated that he would back his brother and state Cabinet minister Shivpal Yadav, who is reported to be having differences of opinion with Mulayam’s son, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

The SP chief Monday said the party would get divided into two factions if Shivpal left. Shivpal had threatened to quit, alleging rampant corruption in the state government.

According to BJP national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh, Mulayam’s public criticism of the state government – the fifth time since Akhilesh took over as the CM in 2012 – means the SP has “conceded defeat even before the poll bugle is sounded for the Assembly polls”. He pointed out that Mulayam had publicly attacked the chief minister four times in the past – in June 2013, November 2014, August 2015 and March this year. “It amounts to terming Akhilesh as an ineffective chief minister,” Singh said.

He suggested that Yadav should apologise to the people, as he had sought votes in 2012 in his own name and then made Akhilesh the chief minister.

“Are the son’s interests above the state’s interests for you? Why have you not made him resign,” the BJP leader asked. Singh asked the SP chief whether he would take action against party leaders involved in land-grabbing and illicit liquor trade, as alleged by Shivpal.

“I also want to ask him whether the SP will go to the elections with this unsuccessful chief minister,” Singh added.

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The BJP is gearing up for a fierce battle in the politically crucial Uttar Pradesh, where stakes are high for both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah.

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