Dissent is proof of my stature: Mulayam

A day after counselling the former general secretary, Amar Singh, to desist from making statements, and making light of Rampur MP Jaya Prada’s remark, Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh asked what worth was it to be a leader, if there was no opposition.

However, he told journalists here on Sunday, the SP is a parivar (family) and matters would be sorted out.

Is se meri haisiyat pata lagti hai (This shows my stature as a leader), Mr. Mulayam Singh said, referring to the voices of dissent getting louder.

Mr. Mulayam Singh, who appeared unfazed by the Amar Singh camp offensive, said the party returned to “basics:” taking up the cause of the people. “The Samajwadi Party is back on track.”

The success of the January 19 agitation in Uttar Pradesh against price rise and corruption spurred the SP to take the campaign for the common man to its logical conclusion, he said.

Declines comment on Amar Singh, Jaya Prada

However, Mr. Singh declined to comment on either Mr. Amar Singh or Ms. Jaya Prada. Earlier in the day, she appealed to the leadership to prevent Mr. Amar Singh being “maligned” by his opponents.

But Mr. Mulayam Singh’s lieutenants and national general secretaries, Ram Asrey Kushwaha and Vishambhar Prasad Nishad, sought action against both Mr. Amar Singh and Ms. Jaya Prada, arguing that their charges amounted to indiscipline.

At a press conference here, Mr. Kushwaha said Mr. Amar Singh was now part of “history,” By defending him, Ms. Jaya Prada too became “history.”

Both general secretaries condemned allegations of the Yadav family holding sway over party matters.

Mr. Kushwaha claimed that no Samajwadi leader, MP or MLA was with Mr. Amar Singh.