After helping the UPA to breeze through the cut motions in the Lok Sabha, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Saturday said his party would continue to extend “issue-based” support to the Congress-led coalition.
“Samajwadi Party will continue to give issue-based support to the UPA government though on people’s issues it will continue to register its protest,” Mr. Yadav told reporters.
SP with 21 MPs in the Lok Sabha had bailed out the UPA during voting on the cut motions on April 27 by staging a walkout.
Asked about chances of evolving a Third Front, Mr. Yadav said as of now he was not making any efforts in this regard and has not talked with any political party. SP was a key ally of the erstwhile United Front government at the Centre.
Mr. Yadav parried a question whether sitting SP member in the Rajya Sabha Jaya Bachchan would be renominated on expiry of her tenure shortly, saying these matters are decided by the party’s parliamentary board which will meet on May 30.
Speculation is rife in party circles that SP may field its national spokesperson Mohan Singh to one of two Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh falling vacant, making chances of Ms. Bachchan’s re-nomination dim, more so because of her close links with expelled party leader Amar Singh.
To another question, Mr. Yadav ruled out return of Mr. Amar Singh to the party fold saying, “Amar chapter of the party has come to an end.”
Mr. Singh was expelled from the party on February 2 on grounds of indulging in anti-party activities.
Criticising the Mayawati government in the State, the SP chief said imposition of President’s rule was the only solution to the prevailing problems in the state.
“There is a Constitutional crisis in the State. The government does not take action even on the letters written by the Governor. A majority of ministers in the government have criminal background and the law and order situation is dismal,” Mr. Yadav said.
The SP chief termed as eyewash the action initiated by the Chief Minister against criminals in her party and asked her to release the list of those against whom she has taken action so far.
