Early elections possible, says Mulayam

September 13, 2012 03:03 pm | Updated November 17, 2021 12:56 am IST - Kolkata

Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav said that both the Congress and BJP have failed to fulfil people’s aspirations. File Photo: R.V. Moorthy

Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav said that both the Congress and BJP have failed to fulfil people’s aspirations. File Photo: R.V. Moorthy

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said here on Thursday that he was “not a saint” to refuse the post of prime minister if such an opportunity arises after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Mr. Yadav also did not rule out the possibility of early elections. “It seems the Lok Sabha elections may be advanced. However, I cannot comment on the matter with any certainty,” he told journalists at the end of the two-day national executive meeting of the party.

Asked about the prospect of him becoming prime minister, he said his party would not campaign for his candidature but he was “not a saint” either.

“If Mr. Deve Gowda can get a chance to become Prime Minister then the Samajwadi Party can get an opportunity some day. However, there can be no prophecies in politics. We will contest the next Lok Sabha elections on our own strength,” he said.

The SP would emerge as the biggest party in Uttar Pradesh in the parliamentary elections and would surprise everyone with the large number of seats it would win. It would also contest the polls in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Jharkhand.

“The most important discussion we had during the two-day national executive meeting was on strengthening our organisation and extending our reach,” Mr. Yadav said.

On the role of All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Rahul Gandhi in the national politics, he described him as a “young politician” and wished him luck for a future in “good politics.”

As for the likelihood of Mr. Gandhi becoming prime minister, he said: “It is his party [the Congress] that is going to make him prime minister. It will not be us to give him the post on a platter.”

“Third front only after 2014 polls”

On the third front, Mr. Yadav said it would be formed “only after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections after considering the political situation.”

His statement comes a day after a senior party leader suggested that the party was in favour of formation of a third front before the elections.

Mr. Yadav told journalists: “So far we have not discussed its formation with any party and will not do so [before the elections].”

Party general secretary Mohan Singh on Wednesday said the groundwork for a third front was prepared during a recent demonstration by certain parties in front of Parliament and the third front would “blow away” the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party in the next elections.

Asked whether the party considered the Left parties or the Trinamool Congress to be close to its ideology, he evaded a direct response. “That is a different issue,” he said.

After presenting the ideological and economic resolution of the party, Mr. Singh told journalists on Wednesday that the party was traditionally close to the Left.

“Both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party are becoming weak and are only involved in internal bickering,” Mr. Yadav said adding that they had failed to put any proper programme or policies before people.

However, the party continues to support the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government only with the single objective of preventing communal forces from usurping power at the Centre, he said.

“Closed chapter”

On ties with Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee, he said, “There had never been any bitterness in my relations with Ms. Banerjee in the past and there will not be in the future.”

Asked about their differences over the Presidential election, he said it was a “closed chapter” and a “dead issue.”

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