Shivpal Yadav, Mulayam’s brother, discusses SP ambitions with Faisal Fareed. How do you see the challenge from Narendra Modi? Where is the Modi wave? It is a figment of the imagination of the media created at the behest of corporate houses. Modi is arrogant, his language reflects he is inclined towards corporate houses and with their money he is contesting the elections. Modi has been attacking your government. Modi’s language is indecent. It does not befit a PM candidate. We are much more ahead in development than his Gujarat. He is responsible for the Gujarat riots and if he becomes PM, it will be a loss to the country. Already we are suffering due to Congress policies, the BJP’s advent will be dangerous. But you have not fielded candidates against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. We stopped the BJP twice in UP and helped the Congress twice in the survival of the government. We have not fielded candidates against Sonia and Rahul so that the BJP does not get an advantage. And above all their (Congress) help will be required in the formation of a third front government. They have to reciprocate our favour. How will you counter Modi in the polls? For us development is the main agenda. We believe in providing bijli, sadak, pani in every village and have succeeded to a great extent. We are getting a good response from people on our agenda. Is the EC ban on Azam Khan a setback? Yes, but the ban is wrong and one-sided. They should have probed it. Azam Bhai’s intention was never wrong, he had meant Muslims had contributed a lot since Independence and to the Kargil war. It is true. Haven’t the Muzaffarnagar riots dented your Muslim vote and the government’s credibility? We have always admitted the Muzaffarnagar riots were unfortunate. But we did our best to control them and provide relief. People have understood that the riots were planned by BJP. Mulayam’s rape remarks have raised questions about SP’s ideology. Netaji’s (Mulayam) comments were twisted and distorted for political mileage. He had meant that innocents should not be hanged in such cases but the culprits should be punished. You are devoting most of your time in Etawah and Mainpuri. Not much time but yes, I am visiting the place quite often. After Netaji, I am the MLA here so people want me to come.
