A neta for all seasons: In 2008, a flip-flop on India’s N-deal

His critics claim the volte face was the result of a CBI inquiry Mulayam and his family were then facing for allegedly having acquired assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.

The SP's justification for the turnaround: Kalam had told them that the deal was in India’s interest. (Express File)

In 2008, Samajwadi Party was with the Left in opposing the India-US nuclear deal. The party had even shared the stage with CPI(M) at a rally, slamming the UPA’s vote against Iran at the IAEA. But in July 2008, the party changed its stand and bailed out the Manmohan Singh government in the July 22 trust vote after the Left withdrew support.

The SP’s justification for the turnaround: Kalam had told them that the deal was in India’s interest.

His critics claim the volte face was the result of a CBI inquiry Mulayam and his family were then facing for allegedly having acquired assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.

In the months after the trust vote, Mulayam’s daughter-in-law Dimple Yadav wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, denying allegations that she held benami property on behalf of the family. Singh forwarded her letter to CBI, which sought a legal opinion.

In November 2008, then solicitor general G E Vahanvati gave his opinion: that assets of Dimple and Malti Devi, Mulayam’s late first wife, could not be clubbed with the SP chief’s, as they “held no public office”. In December 2008, CBI filed an application before court, seeking withdrawal of its earlier plea on registration of a regular case against the Yadavs.

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