Mulayam Singh Yadav behind snub to Congress?

New Delhi: The Samajwadi Party’s move to put the Congress on top of the ladder and then push it down is covered with the fingerprints of wily party veteran Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Deception has always been the hallmark of Mulayam Singh Yadav, particularly when it came to politics. The SP has come up with various explanations for refusing some crucial Congress demands, including reducing its offer from103 seats to 85.

Mulayam Singh Yadav had always been against any tie-up with the Congress and never allowed the party to grow in the state. He preferred to keep the fight between himself and BSP chief Mayawati.

It was learnt that Akhilesh Yadav was keen for an alliance with the Congress till “an invisible hand” made him change his mind on Friday. Akhilesh Yadav was reportedly cautioned that the alliance would benefit the Congress more than the SP.

Decimated and reduced to nothing for over two decades in Uttar Pradesh, the alliance could have given the Congress a new lease of life. The party, which lacked a credible face in the state, would have benefitted from Akhilesh Yadav’s popularity and clean image to reach out to voters.

The upper caste, which had deserted the Congress, would have returned and the party could also have made inroads into the Yadav vote bank. The alliance could also have wtinessed the return of Muslims to the Congress fold, after they had moved away to back the SP and the BSP. The alliance could also have help the Congress to reach out to dalits and most backward community (MBC).

In this, the Congress smelt the chance to do a Bihar, where it increased it’s tally from a mere five seats to 27 by latching onto the JD(U)-RJD bandwagon during the last Assembly polls in the state. The alliance could also re-invigorate Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who repeatedly failed to make any impact among voters.

Yet, all is not lost for the Congress as the party continued to hold talks with the SP. However, these were some key factors which had prevented Mulayam Singh Yadav from “aiding and abetting” the Congress in the state. Mulayam Singh, however, had also deceived Congress party president Sonia Gandhi in 1999.

After the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government lost the confidence vote by a ballot in April 1999, Mualayam Singh Yadav had assured the Congress of his support in government formation.

When Mrs Gandhi approached the Rashtrapati Bhavan to stake claim saying she had a majority, Mulayam Singh Yadav backed out leaving the Congress president red faced.

Mualayam Singh Yadav had always been close to the Left parties. He ditched the CPI(M) and other Left parties by backing the UPA government on the Indo-US nuclear deal in 2008.

Another leader, who experienced the taste of Mulayam’s deception is Trinamul Congress supremo, Ms mamata Banerjee. Mulayam Singh had backed the Trinamul chief on the issue of opposing Pranab Mukherjee’s Presidential candidature. In a joint press conrerence, Ms Banerjee and Mulayam Singh Yadav floated other names including that of former Speaker, P.A. Sangma. Within hours of the joint press conference Mulayam Singh Yadav announced his party’s support for Mr Mukherjee. But, on the voting day Mulayam Singh Yadav voted in favour of Mr Mukherjee’s opponent P A Sangma by “mistake”. Mulayam Singh voted again but his ballot was cancelled by the Election Commission on grounds of violation of secrecy.

After the huge family drama, Mulayam Singh Yadav is back in his son’s camp saying; “Akhilesh has my blessings. I will campaign for him.” His brother and Akhilesh Yadav’s so called arch rival, Shivpal Yadav has been given a party ticket. A senior BJP leader, when asked about this SP family feud retored, “This entire drama was scripted by Mulayam Singh Yadav to push his son and decimate all others including Shivpal Yadav in the party.” If he is to be believed Mulayam’s “drama” could help his family and son return to power in UP yet again.