NEW DELHI, APRIL 27: Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav today alleged that `several' foreign powers were behind the recent political crisis which led to the fall of the Vajpayee Government.Sounding a lot like Defence Minister George Fernandes, Yadav said at a press conference, ``Not one country but several countries were involved in the power struggle.''Fernandes later patted the SP chief on his back. He described Yadav as ``patriotic'' for foiling the Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s plans to ``foist a person of foreign origin'' on the country as Prime Minister. For good measure, he also clubbed Left Front constituents, the Revolutionary Socialist Party and Forward Bloc with Yadav, praising them for their ``patriotism''.The signals sent by Fernandes and Yadav had political circles abuzz with speculation on a possible understanding, if limited, between the Samata Party and Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh.But Yadav was at pains today to prove his secular credentials and scotch rumoursabout a nexus with the BJP. ``We continue to fight the BJP,'' he declared, ``but for the Congress, the target is always my party.''He challenged the Congress' claim to secular credentials, saying it lacked the necessary commitment. ``It is due to the Congress that the BJP came to power and it is due to them that mid-term polls have been forced on the country,'' he said.He also defended himself against the Congress charge that he was responsible for the situation. ``History will judge how we saved the country from being influenced by foreign powers,'' he said.He denied that there were problems in the Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha, saying his differences with Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Prasad Yadav were limited to supporting a Congress government.He also tried to play down the cracks in his alliance with the Left parties, maintaining, ``We cannot differ with each other for long.''``(CPI-M general secretary) Harkishen Singh Surjeet is an elderly person. He has the right to scold me. We cansort it out,'' he added.
