Fishing in troubled waters, Arvind Sharma, the Congress MP from Karnal, on Friday launched a verbal diatribe against his party for its “new-found love” for the Samajwadi Party.However, he claims to be “still undecided” on whether he will vote against or for the Manmohan Singh Government. Sharma is also miffed with the Congress-led UPA for “unnecessarily targeting” Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP supremo Mayawati.“She (Mayawati) is a woman. But, it is unfortunate that the Congress-led Government is targeting her by involving the CBI. All this is being done only to please the SP and people like Mulayam Singh and Amar Singh, who have never lost an opportunity in the past to pull the Congress down. I am unhappy with the way my party is bringing itself to disrepute by indulging in character assassination of a woman. It will prove to be our undoing,” Sharma told The Indian Express. “I have decided to speak out only because the falling standards in the Congress pain me and I know the party will suffer because of its actions against Mayawati. Look at how the Government is using the CBI to target a popular Dalit leader, that too a woman. We are witnessing the worst days of political bargaining in the country’s democratic history,” Sharma said.While refusing to say if he would vote against the Manmohan Singh Government, Sharma said he will reveal his cards “on that day only”. But sources close to him said his voting against the Government was not “out of question”.However, political observers were half expecting Sharma to speak out against his party. The MP has moved closer to the BSP in recent times, with many expecting him to be the Brahmin face of the party in Haryana. While Sharma refused to confirm or deny if he was contemplating joining the BSP, sources close to him said senior BSP leaders have already been in touch with him. Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders got in touch with Sharma immediately after his outburst. “Yes, some leaders did get in touch with me and asked me the reason why I had spoken out. I have told them the same things that I have told you,” he said.
