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SP not saying ‘no’ to Congress

— Photo: H.Vibhu

Jurist V.R. Krishna Iyer (right) with Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh, SP president Mulayam Singh and PDP leader Abdul Nasir Maudany at a social justice meeting held in Kochi on Monday.

KOCHI: The Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh, on Monday responded cautiously to the Congress overtures for a possible electoral tie-up.

Though they said they were now focussing on strengthening the UNPA (United National Progressive Alliance) and building it up as a ‘third alternative,’ they hinted at not closing the door altogether. “The Congress is not our enemy, it is our political rival,” said Mr. Singh.

He said the SP was a part of the UNPA, a collective of regional parties, headed by Mr. Yadav. “The Samajwadi Party cannot take an independent decision. We cannot decide it in isolation.” The views of the Left Front leaders were also important.

The Samajwadi Party leaderswere here to attend a ‘social justice meeting’ organised by People’s Democratic Party.The Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh’s pronouncements at Kanpur on Sunday had strengthened the impression that the two parties were building bridges. Mr. Digvijay Singh had said the Congress was open to alliances with ‘anyone who would fight communal forces’ and had commended the SP’s role in containing the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.

“Mr. Digvijay Singh is an old friend, I respect him a lot,” Mr. Amar Singh said. He appreciated the Congress’ realisation of the SP’s role in checking communal forces. “We accept this with gratitude,” he said. “Our commitment to secularism is full and final.” He also conceded that the Congress was a ‘major secular force’ in the country.

Mr. Singh, however, pointed out that in a resolution at the Kanpur meeting, the Uttar Pradesh unit of the Congress had severely criticised the SP. Congress leaders had said its influence had not gone beyond the boundaries of Uttar Pradesh. Mr. Singh said he was not responding to this insinuation because it would create unnecessary bitterness.

He noted that the Congress and the SP had parted company not on ideological reasons but out of personal bitterness, which was created by ‘some sections’ in the Uttar Pradesh Congress. He, however, sent out a jab that the SP had ‘no need to fight the Congress in Uttar Pradesh’ as it was non-existent there. He came down heavily on the Mayawati government for its “corruption, suppression and inefficiency.”

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