2009 Poll Prospects And Alignments-2

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<b>Nervous Mulayam rolls back: No Kalyan pact, Cong tie-up will happen</b>

Express News Service Posted: Feb 03, 2009 at 0300 hrs IST
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Lucknow: With the Congress and RJD disapproving of his pact with former UP chief minister Kalyan Singh and Muslims beginning to question the tie-up with the man during whose rule the Babri Masjid was demolished, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav today did a U-turn, saying “there is no alliance with Kalyan Singh, only friendship” and that seat-sharing talks with the Congress were on and “an alliance will materialise” for the Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Mulayam Singh said: “The Muslims trust me and there is no confusion over Kalyan Singh. The misunderstanding created by statements of certain leaders will soon be cleared. I cannot abuse Kalyan Singh for the demolition of the Babri Masjid but I never gave him a clean chit in the demolition case. As the BJP chief minister of UP on December 6, 1992, he was morally responsible for the demolition of the mosque.”

“Kalyan Singh should have taken steps to prevent the demolition of the mosque but that did not mean he was totally responsible for the demolition. The mosque was demolished by the RSS and Shiv Sena,” he said.

He accused the the media of “misleading” Muslims with their coverage. “There is no alliance with Kalyan Singh, it’s only friendship where there are no conditions... Kalyan Singh has pledged to bring about the downfall of BJP and I have no qualms in helping him,” he said.

On reports of differences in seat-sharing talks with the Congress, he said: “Talks are on with the Congress and it has entered the final stages. The alliance will take place... it will materialise.”

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<b>CM hunts for more Muslim faces</b>

Lucknow Following the bonhomie between the Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and former BJP leader Kalyan Singh, the BSP plans to woo Muslims by fielding more candidates from the community for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.

In the 2007 Assembly polls, the BSP fielded about 80 Muslim candidates and it worked. “Behanji wants to project the party as the only well-wisher of Muslims,” a BSP MLA said.

The party has already selected 16 Muslims and sources said it would field about 25 per cent Muslim candidates in the state’s 80 LS seats. “She is looking for Muslim faces who can be fielded against senior BJP leaders,” a source in the BJP said.

While prominent Muslim faces like Shahid Sidiquee and Nawab Kajim Ali had already made it to the list, the latest to enter us Mehdood Madani, son of Jamat-i-Ulema national president Asad Madani. Mehdood is likely to be fielded from Saharnpur.

In Eastern UP, the party is projecting Ansari brothers, who enjoy good support among the Muslim voters not only in Ghazipur but also in adjoining districts like Mau, Azamgarh, Varanasi and Ballia.

In Bundelkhand region, the party’s face is the state minister Nasimuddin Sidiquee who holds eight portfolios. Nasimuddin is tasked with consolidating Muslim Bhaichara committees in the state.