‘Forget Kanshiji, take care of govt’

‘‘Mulayam Singh’s offer is despicable, distasteful and disgraceful, especially as it comes a fortnight after Kanshi Ramji was discharged,’’ Mayawati said at a press conference in New Delhi, advising Mulayam to take care of his government’s precarious health instead. She added that her party had spent Rs 60 lakh on Kanshi Ram’s treatment and would continue to pay for his health.

Reacting to the news in Lucknow, Mulayam was Mr Congeniality himself. He recalled his ‘‘old association’’ with Kanshi Ram and added: ‘‘I am hopeful Mayawatiji will reconsider her decision.’’

His offer, the Chief Minister said, was based on humanitarian grounds as he had worked with Kanshi Ram for about two and a half years. ‘‘Both of us had worked in tandem on several issues and I sincerely hope that Kanshi Ram has a long life…As far as I am concerned, it was my duty to offer financial help to Kanshi Ram for his treatment.’’

Mayawati, on the other hand, talked of how Mulayam had ‘‘tormented’’ Kanshi Ram and the BSP in 1995 by engineering defections, and accused him of indulging in cheap tricks to derive political mileage.

The BSP president claimed that her sources had proof that it was Mulayam who had instigated Kanshi Ram’s mother and brothers against her. ‘‘My sources inform me that Yadav used his minister R K Chaudhary to encourage Kanshi Ramji’s mother to speak to the press, to issue an appeal to the Prime Minister and to request the President to intervene. Mulayam Singh thinks he can wean away my workers by whipping up sympathy for Kanshi Ramji. But it won’t work. This type of politics has to stop,’’ Mayawati said.

While she refused to field too many questions apart from the Kanshi Ram controversy, Mayawati did talk about the coming Maharashtra elections. She said will be meeting her party units on July 18, including the unit from the state, to chart out a course of action.