Lucknow:
Mulayam Singh Yadav blasted the ruling Congress that he supports at the Centre yet again today saying that fighting the party either landed one in jail or with the CBI on his tail.
"No one can fight the Congress because if one does, one is sent to jail or is chased by the CBI," Mr Singh said in Lucknow. The CBI is investigating allegations of corruption against Mr Yadav and his family and the SP leader had said bitterly last week, "I supported the UPA government in bad times but Congress has put the CBI after me."
As he hit out at the Congress today, Mr Yadav also lauded the BJP's LK Advani for praising socialist icon Ram Manohar Lohia in Chitrakoot, also in UP. Last month he had hailed Mr Advani as one of the most honest politicians, inviting accusations that he was cosying up to the BJP with an eye on next year's general elections.
Mr Advani's speech today fueled more speculation that the Samajwadi Party and the BJP, the most unlikely partners, could just be brought together by political expediency.
The BJP leader said not a word to criticise the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP government in UP and also seemed to reach out to Mr Yadav when he said political parties should change their strategy with changing times, without compromising with the basic principles of the organisation. He also said, "No government is possible without the BJP or the Congress."
Mr Yadav has made no secret of the fact that he is scouting for new partners to give a shot at government formation at the Centre in the next elections. In his severe criticism of the Congress, he has said he will do his all to defeat the party. But for now, after keeping it on tenterhooks for days, he has assured the government that he will not withdraw support.
After his comments about the CBI today, the BJP accused the government of misusing the investigation agency and said, "Mulayam Singh's statement is very important. The PM must respond to it."
The Manmohan Singh government is in a minority after the departure of the Congress' biggest allies, the Trinamool Congress and the DMK, and depends heavily on the external support of the SP and Mayawati's BSP.