The Hindu : National : Will not snap ties with Left: Amar Singh

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Wednesday, Sep 12, 2007
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Will not snap ties with Left: Amar Singh

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh on Tuesday ruled out snapping of ties with the Left parties — particularly the Communist Party of India (Marxist). It was not proper for allies in any coalition to impose their likes and dislikes on other partners, he said.

Reacting to the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — a key constituent of the United National Progressive Alliance — taking exception to the Samajwadi Party participating in meetings and protests organised by the CPI (M) against the India-U.S. nuclear deal, Mr. Singh said the Left parties were old friends.

“We have a consistent, old and unbreakable relationship with the Left parties, especially the CPI (M),” he said at a press conference here.

Mr. Singh recalled the intervention of CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat when the Centre was planning to impose President’s Rule in Uttar Pradesh.

“They stood by us in our hour of trouble,” he said, pleading helplessness if any UNPA constituent had a quarrel with the Samajwadi Party’s close links with the Left.

Referring to a reported statement of AIADMK spokesman V. Maitreyan that anyone who allied with the Left was “our enemy,” Mr. Singh said that in politics, there were no enemies, but only opponents.

Joining issue with Mr. Maitreyan, who on Monday accused the Samajwadi Party leader of playing “dirty tricks,” Mr. Singh said: “He has said that I have Ms. Jayalalithaa’s personal phone number. But, Mr. Maitreyan has said that a person of Ms. Jayalalithaa’s stature does not have to respond to allegations made by the likes of a person like me. So, how can someone like me call her up directly?”

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