Cong-SP rift grows over Mulayam DA case

Agencies

Lucknow: The disproposionate assets (DA) case has become the latest flashpoint between Congress and Samajawadi Party.

SP has lambasted Congress for blackmailing party chief Mulyam Singh Yadav with the DA case, SP general secretary Amar Singh stated.

He also alleged that the CBI has fudged the facts to implicate Mulayam Singh in the DA case.

"Had SP known this before, it wouldn't have supported Congress to cobble up a government at the centre after Left parties pulled out support for UPA government at the centre," Amar Singh said.

“The Congress has been doing this (misusing the CBI) to pressure political opponents. There are allegations that the CBI went to court to withdraw the case against Mulayam Singh Yadav. Instead, it submitted a status report before the court levelling false charges against the SP leader.”

The harsh words for the Congress coincided with his party’s difficult tug-of-war over the share of seats in Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

He also had a jibe or two for the Congress “double standards” on Kalyan Singh. Singh’s attempt appeared to be part of a two- pronged strategy — turn a friendly face to parties such as the CPM and the NCP and to drive a wedge between them and the Congress.

The SP leader justified his latest overtures to the CPM, saying he stood by his principles. But why did he meet CPM general secretary Prakash Karat? The visit was not “ politically motivated” but stemmed from his personal relationship.

“We also discussed the Congress’s misuse of the CBI”. “Comrade (Pinarayi) Vijayan’s (CPM Kerala secretary facing charges in the SNC Lavalin scam), the case against (NCP leader) Praful Patel and the case against Mulayam Singh are serious issues before the elections. That’s why I visited Karat,” he said.

Asked if SP’s friendly ties with Kalyan Singh had hurt the Congress leadership, he replied in the negative. “There’s nothing like that.” If the Congress could use former saffron leaders to further its cause, what’s the harm in the SP aligning with Kalyan Singh, he asked. “When Kalyan Singh leaves the BJP and aligns with the Samajwadi Party for the welfare of people, so many things are being said. I wonder why.” Asked if the SP had hurt Muslim sentiments in Uttar Pradesh by cosying up to Kalyan Singh, the SP leader said the former UP chief minister had admitted his fault and taken moral responsibility.

That's why he resigned from the BJP.