Targeting Narendra Modi, the former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh on Saturday said that in a pluralistic society there should be acceptability for a person aspiring to be Prime Minister.
Speaking to journalists here, he said the BJP leader “may have got a clean chit on the Gujarat riots, but he has to contend with perception. In a pluralistic society, a person who is a prime ministerial aspirant must have acceptability.”
Mr. Singh, who has recently joined the Rashtriya Lok Dal and is its nominee from Fatehpur Sikri in the Lok Sabha elections, said he realised his “coalition dharma” and decided to withdraw his offer to campaign for his former leader and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav in Azamgarh. The RLD is in alliance with the Congress.
After Mr. Yadav recently praised him, Mr. Amar Singh declared that he would campaign for the SP chief. But on Saturday he backed off. “Since the Congress is going to field a candidate in Azamgarh against Mr. Mulayam Singh, I have to follow coalition dharma…”
He, however, alleged that the SP was leaving no stone unturned to ensure his defeat in Fatehpur Sikri.
