Mulayam hits out at BJP’s ‘doublespeak’

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav today accused the BJP of hatching a deep-rooted conspiracy against his party b...

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav today accused the BJP of hatching a deep-rooted conspiracy against his party by indulging in ‘‘doublespeak’’.

Addressing an election rally in support of Raghu Yadav, the SP candidate from Mahendragarh parliamentary constituency, Yadav said: ‘‘Vajpayee says that Mulayam’s ideology is the same as his. On one hand, he goes out of his way to ask Muslims to vote for me calling me their messiah and on the other, the Imam of Jama Masjid asks the Muslims to vote for the BJP. If this is not a conspiracy, then what is… Atalji mere liye vote maange, isse badi saazish aur kya hogi?’’

He also charged the BJP with targeting his government in the state. ‘‘Advani says that if a BJP-led government comes to power, it will dismiss my government within three months. The Congress accuses me of being hand in glove with the BJP. The fact is that there is no difference between the BJP and the Congress,’’ he said.

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Claiming that Muslims in UP are still with him, Mulayam said: ‘‘I have never claimed that I am their messiah or have made any sacrifices for them. They are with me because of the ideology of my party.’’

Later, talking to The Indian Express, Mulayam said he had always opposed the BJP and there was no question of his party having any proximity to it. ‘‘I have written articles in leading dailies clarifying my position. What more can I do to convince people that I have no truck with the BJP?’’ he said. ‘‘This time, we are not just opposing the BJP, we are working towards wiping it out from the national political scene.’’

Asked why the BJP’s claims of proximity with him had not elicited strong responses from him in the past, the CM said: ‘‘Main kewal shishtachar nibha raha hoon, jo Vajpayeeji nahin nibha rahe hain (I am only being courteous, something which Vajpayee is not doing).’’

Mulayam also made no attempt to hide his prime ministerial ambitions. ‘‘Even if SP fares badly in UP, we are sure of securing 39 seats. We will have a crucial role in the formation of the next government at the Centre,’’ he said. ‘‘We have also managed to create a base in Madhya Pradesh and will secure at least five seats there.’’