Mulayam refutes alliance with BJP

Refuting reports of an alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party, Samajwadi Party Supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav said on Friday that his party was against BJP and there was not even a remote chance of an alliance.

"There is no question of an alliance between SP and BJP. We even did not want to see the BJP...SP was always two steps ahead of other parties whenever there is a need to protest against BJP...We will continue doing so," Yadav told media-persons at party headquarters in Lucknow.

"Those who have raised this issue are either ignorant or do not understand character of our party (SP)", the SP chief said. He said that SP workers had faced atrocities in BJP regime.

"Even Shivpal had to remain absconding for over six months in BJP regime. We were fearing that he would be killed in that regime," Yadav said, adding that no one could raise fingers on the party as far as its stand against BJP was concerned.

About Kalyan Singh's friendship with SP, Yadav said "Kalyan has agreed to support Samajwadi Party as he considered that only his party could raise issues of farmers and downtrodden in effective manner."

Yadav also said that Kalyan was the only leader with a mass base in the BJP after Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

"After Atalji, Kalyan was only leader with mass base. Now with Kalyan leaving BJP and Atalji is not well, no mass leader is left in BJP," Yadav said.

He said that the credit of weakening BJP goes to his party, which always stood against "communal forces".

"Kalyan had said that he would not join any party and nor will he form one but would only raise issues of public interest. His son Rajbir is also with us and is extensively touring to garner support in favour of the party," Yadav said.

"Kalyan is helping us and we accept it," Yadav added.