As the talk about Samajwadi Party being inducted into the government gained ground, a senior UPA leader on Tuesday said the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led party is not interested in participating in the ministry.“It is a fact that the Samajwadi Party is not demanding any ministerial berths. This is my information,” NCP chief Sharad Pawar said when asked whether the Yadav-led party which played a key role in saving the government during the trust vote was keen on joining it.Pawar said he has seen the statements of SP leaders and is also aware of the situation and feels that there is no change in the position of that party even after the confidence vote.The NCP leader’s statement is significant in view of the fact that SP leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh are likely to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday reportedly to deliberate on the nature of ties between the UPA and the SP.Reports had it that the meeting is to discuss the mechanism of formation of a coordination committee on the pattern of the UPA and the Left parties, whose withdrawal of support brought the coalition and the SP closer.Pawar’s statement is also perhaps the first by any non-Congress party leaders in the UPA on the SP.It came on a day when the SP itself gave mixed signals on the issue of joining government. Amar Singh and Yadav maintained that the SP was the second largest party on the ruling side but said becoming part of the coalition is “not important.”“Our party has emerged the second largest party on the support of which the government is running. Samajwadi Party is recognised as a major force. This is very important. The question of joining the government is not important,” Amar Singh said.SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav, however, sought to throw the ball in the Congress court saying that inducting anyone in the government was the prerogative of the Prime Minister and the question should be asked to him (Prime Minister).The issue of the SP joining the government has given sleepless nights to a number of Congress ministers who fear that they may have to make way for the SP nominees if Yadav’s party is accommodated.If SP is brought in the government, then a minimum of six berths would be required to be given to that party in view of its strength.
