Mulayam bares his PM ambition
14 Sep 2012 1:17 AM GMT
The Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for the first time made clear his prime ministerial ambitions on Thursday, but in a shift of stance, declared that the formation of the Third Front will have to wait till the General Election, which could be held prematurely.
Addressing the media at the end of the party's two-day national executive meeting here, Yadav also announced that his party would contest the next Lok Sabha poll without forging any alliance.
To a journalist who asked how he felt at the media projecting him as the country's next prime minister, the Samajwadi Party supremo said: 'I thank you for that comment. But, I would like to say that right now I am not the prime ministerial candidate.'
A day after the party general secretary Mohan Singh said that his party had already sown the seeds for a Third Front and urged all regional parties opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress to come together, the party chief virtually did a volte face.
'The Third Front has always been set up after the polls. Depending on the situation – whether the Third Front comes up or not – [its formation] will be decided after the polls,' said Yadav.
Mohan Singh had also said that his party would prefer the Left than the Trinamool Congress. To which, Yadav said, 'I respect Mamataji a lot. We share a great, long-standing relation. She is my younger sister.'
He also said that the Samajwadi Party has not had any talks so far with any party on the front and ruled out holding such discussions before the polls. 'We will fight on our own strength all over India, be it Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra or Bihar. I cannot predict the number of seats we will win, but I can say you will be surprised by the number of seats we get,' he asserted.
The veteran leader said it was likely that the next general elections would be held ahead of schedule, but he was not sure. 'So far, it is not clear what the UPA government wants. At times the situation is such that we feel that the General Election may take place before 2014. But we cannot say for certain that the polls will be held before time,' he said.
Addressing the media at the end of the party's two-day national executive meeting here, Yadav also announced that his party would contest the next Lok Sabha poll without forging any alliance.
To a journalist who asked how he felt at the media projecting him as the country's next prime minister, the Samajwadi Party supremo said: 'I thank you for that comment. But, I would like to say that right now I am not the prime ministerial candidate.'
A day after the party general secretary Mohan Singh said that his party had already sown the seeds for a Third Front and urged all regional parties opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress to come together, the party chief virtually did a volte face.
'The Third Front has always been set up after the polls. Depending on the situation – whether the Third Front comes up or not – [its formation] will be decided after the polls,' said Yadav.
Mohan Singh had also said that his party would prefer the Left than the Trinamool Congress. To which, Yadav said, 'I respect Mamataji a lot. We share a great, long-standing relation. She is my younger sister.'
He also said that the Samajwadi Party has not had any talks so far with any party on the front and ruled out holding such discussions before the polls. 'We will fight on our own strength all over India, be it Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra or Bihar. I cannot predict the number of seats we will win, but I can say you will be surprised by the number of seats we get,' he asserted.
The veteran leader said it was likely that the next general elections would be held ahead of schedule, but he was not sure. 'So far, it is not clear what the UPA government wants. At times the situation is such that we feel that the General Election may take place before 2014. But we cannot say for certain that the polls will be held before time,' he said.
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