The Hindu : National : Mulayam terms Advani opportunistic

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National

Mulayam terms Advani opportunistic

“Nuclear deal is in national interest”

“BJP approached SP with proposal to topple government”
SP has entered
into a deal with
Congress: BJP

Jaunpur (U.P.): Justifying his party’s decision to support the Congress on the India-U.S. nuclear deal, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh on Sunday said the decision was taken keeping in mind national interest.

“We support the Congress on the nuclear deal issue in national interest. It has given a good message to the world that Indians can take a decision in the interest of the country,” Mr. Singh told reporters here.

Terming BJP leader L.K. Advani “opportunistic,” Mr. Singh said, “He should introspect before making comments on the Samajwadi Party’s stand on the nuclear deal.”

Jaswant proposal

In New Delhi, SP leader Amar Singh claimed the BJP had approached his party with a fresh proposal just four days ago for toppling the Manmohan government and had claimed the backing of the Left and the BSP.

This disclosure was made by the SP leader in an interview to IBN7 channel adding that the party had rejected the proposal by BJP leader Jaswant Singh as it did a year ago during the 2007 Presidential elections, the channel said in a release.

Bigger threat

Mr. Amar Singh said his party rejected the proposal as there was no question of aligning with the BJP as his party considered communalism a bigger danger to the country than any other issue.

The SP leader’s revelation came a day after Mr. Jaswant Singh admitted that the BJP had attempted to topple the Congress-led coalition at the Centre by promising prime ministership to the UNPA in lieu of support to Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in last year’s Presidential polls.

At a press conference, which he jointly addressed with Mr. Advani, Mr. Jaswant Singh said he visited Amar Singh’s residence four ago back to see “which way the wind is blowing in the Samajwadi Party.”

BJP criticism

The BJP has termed Mr. Amar Singh’s comments that Advani is a greater danger than Bush “an outlandish statement” aimed at concealing a “private deal.”

“A man who is doing a deal within a deal is trying to glorify himself by making outlandish statements,” party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said in a statement here. Mr. Rudy alleged that the SP had entered into a “deal” with the Congress to save another “deal.”

On Saturday, Mr. Amar Singh said communalism was the most dangerous among all the problems faced by the country. — PTI

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