Desperate over shrinking base,Mulayam says sorry to Muslims

Kalyan,with whom Mulayam aligned during the Lok Sabha polls last year,claimed that the SP would never return to power since Muslims and the backward classes had drifted away from it.

“He not only ditched me but also millions of OBCs… I was warned of his designs,but I realise now I was wrong to join hands with him,” Kalyan said.

The SP,which won only 23 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP,had accepted that its core Muslim vote had drifted to other parties.

In a statement,Mulayam,without naming Kalyan,said: “In the last Lok Sabha polls,I had to take support of some galat tatva (wrong elements) to keep communal forces at bay from forming a government at the Centre. This confused the secular forces,especially my Muslim brothers,and their feelings were hurt. I accept my mistake and seek pardon from the Muslim community for my act.”

“I want to assure my Muslim brothers that whatever I have done will not be repeated and I will continue to raise my voice in favour of the Muslim community. I always took initiatives to defeat communal forces and did my duty,” said Mulayam,adding that in 1990 as Chief Minister,he took all measures to save the Babri Masjid.

BSP chief Mayawati dismissed his statement as a political stunt. “It is the height of political opportunism. People should never have faith in leaders with double standards. Mulayam Singh Yadav has a long history of close association with communal forces,” she said.

Digvijay Singh,Congress general secretary in charge of UP,said: “He has to clarify whether he holds Kalyan Singh responsible for the demolition of Babri Masjid.”

UP BJP president Surya Pratap Shahi said the apology by Mulayam was an attempt to appease Muslims as there was a “mad race among SP,BSP and Congress” for their votes.

Azam Khan,expelled from the SP for revolting soon after the Lok Sabha elections,said the apology was “too little,too late”. He said the defeat of the SP candidate in the Assembly by-election in Muslim-dominated Domariyaganj last month had “shaken the foundation of the party” — the SP came fourth in the by-election.