Opinion For foot in the door,SP keeps all windows open
2004 and 2009 still rankle Mulayam,and that may be why the SP can be seen flirting with many ideas simultaneously as the next Lok Sabha elections draw near.
After languishing in the backstage of national politics,Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has acquired a new swagger courtesy his partys convincing victory in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
The SP had been denied a seat at the UPA high table after the 2004 Lok Sabha elections despite its 36 Lok Sabha seats and the crucial contribution it made in throwing the BJP out of power. In 2009 again,notwithstanding that he had bailed out the UPA during the 2008 trust vote,Mulayam had met the same fate.
2004 and 2009 still rankle Mulayam,and that may be why the SP can be seen flirting with many ideas simultaneously as the next Lok Sabha elections draw near. With son Akhilesh Yadav looking after his power base at Lucknow,Mulayam is courting potential partners even as he blows hot and cold over the Congress in Delhi.
The first party he flirted with was the UPAs disgruntled partner Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress,forcing the Congress hand on nominating Pranab Mukherjee for President. Later,he teamed up with Left parties and the JD(S) to register his firm objection against FDI in retail. He followed it up by suggesting to Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj that a separate meeting be called of all non-UPA parties to corner the government on the coal block allocation issue. However,when this gave the impression of him going all out against the government,he backed out. The next day,Mulayam staged a dharna with Left parties where he nudged party members to raise sanyukt morcha zindabad (long live United Front) slogans. Even as that seemed to hint at a third front,the SP made it clear that a call would be taken only after the elections.
The reason Mulayam is taking his time shutting the door on the Congress is the fear of rival Mayawati openly collaborating with it. So when Congress humours the BSP supremo with reservation in promotions for SC/STs,the SP government loses no time extending 24X7 power to Rae Bareli and Amethi and announcing that they would not field a candidate against Sonia Gandhi.
As for himself,Mulayam has made it clear his options are option. Asked about his prime ministerial ambitions,the SP chief said on Thursday: I am not a saint.
ravish.tiwari@expressindia.com
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