'Vajpayee is the most rabid Hindutvawadi'
Samajwadi Party boss Mulayam Singh Yadav has got a bee for
Bharatiya Janata Party veteran Atal Bihari Vajpayee. A terrible one, which he
let loose at an Iftar party in Bombay last week.
"Vajpayee is a 'liberal' leader, sure," Mulayam Singh told
an interested group, "But he's the most rabid Hindutvawadi
(I have ever seen)!"
As Vajpayee nor any other BJP leader was there to
respond, Mulayam had a clear field. He forged ahead.
"Vajpayee's is a party that speaks from seven different
mouths -- BJP, VHP,
ABVP, RSS, Durga Vahini, Bajrang Dal and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh," he said.
So what about the Shiv Sena?
"Oh, that's the eighth mouth!" came the answer.
"Vajpayee first says that Ayodhya is no
more an election issue. Then he says Ayodhya still remains an
election issue," Mulayam continued his BJP-whipping, "Advani says
his party's position on Hindutva will not change. Vajpayee
says he will not leave Hindutva aside!"
Speaking about the finding of poll surveys that the BJP will
secure an absolute majority, Mulayam said: "The BJP itself is responsible
for such biased opinion polls. Till now, as on all three occasion
in Uttar Pradesh, such polls have turned out to be inaccurate.
This will also turn out so.''
This time, Mulayam predicted, the United Front will again emerge
the biggest bloc and provide a stable five-year government.
"The BJP
will not gain in strength in Maharashtra, Madhya
Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh," he said.
The BJP will be the biggest loser if Sonia Gandhi's campaign is
received well by the people, and voters return to the Congress.
"We will really benefit," the SP chief said, "Our purpose of
defeating the communal parties will be served. People will not forget the BJP's hand in demolishing
the Babri Masjid. They (the BJP) have never respected the Constitution, never
respected the law. They broke their promise to the
Supreme Court.
People will never trust such a party."
Asked about the SP's understanding with the Congress in Maharashtra,
Mulayam denied that there was any such thing.
"But one thing is sure," he said, "We are going to
stop the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance one way or other."
Compiled from the Marathi media by Prasanna D Zore.
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