Race for PM post: Mulayam says will depend on situation in 2014

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday appeared to keep open the option of joining the race for prime ministership in 2014, saying "a lot will depend on circumstances after the Lok Sabha elections". "I was not in the race of becoming chief minister but situation gave me the post. I am not in the race for prime ministership....but a lot will depend on it (situation)," he told reporters.

The SP chief was addressing the media along with former UP and Uttarakahnd chief minister N D Tiwari at the former's residence.

Yadav reiterated that he will continue his opposition to FDI in multi-brand retail, but was non-committal about his party voting in Parliament on the issue. "We will take part in the debate over FDI in Parliament. We are against it and we stick to this. But for voting on the issue, final decision rests on our parliamentary board which will be summoned very soon," he said.

Tiwari, however, said FDI is good for the country and it will bring investment. "But I cannot impose my opinion on anyone. Mulayam knows everything and there is no point in telling him," Tiwari said. The veteran Congress leader who visited Mulayam's Vikramaditya Marg residence in the morning said he would support Mulayam as PM.

While Tiwari refused to answer any question related to the Congress, he ruled out contesting the next Lok Sabha elections. "I am already 88 years old and there is no point contesting the election."

He also did not respond on the possibility of his joining the SP. "I am a samajwadi since 1952. I read a lot about socialism in jail. I had seen Lohia and several other stalwarts," Tiwari said.

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