SP becomes UPA pillar before Trinamool quits

EVEN before the Trinamool Congress formally withdrew its support to the UPA, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav Friday reassured the Congress-led government that his party would ensure its survival to prevent communal forces from coming to power despite not being in agreement over the government's move to allow FDI in multi-brand retail.

"We are already supporting the UPA. Our support is continuing. We will not let communal forces come to power. That is why I am supporting," Yadav told reporters. "I am not in the UPA. But we are supporting them so that communal forces do not go ahead."

Yadav stressed that the SP remained opposed to FDI in multi-brand retail. But at the same time he suggested that there was no tangible reason to stop supporting the UPA from outside. "Why will we take back our support? Where is the question of mid-term polls?" Yadav shot back when asked about the possibility of either. The possibility of mid-term polls being held is something the government should know, he said dismissively.

The Samajwadi Party will not join the government after the TMC quits the council of ministers, Yadav said, adding that the party will in fact continue to oppose the government's reform announcements made last week. "We will continue to oppose FDI and the diesel price increase. We will oppose this in Lok Sabha also as it will hurt five crore people in the country," he said.

Meanwhile, the Bahujan Samaj Party, which is also opposed to the reform announcements, is expected to announce its stand on supporting the UPA government from outside on October 9 when party chief Mayawati is due to address a public rally in Lucknow. BSP sources said that the party was not in favour of early elections as it wants some anti-incumbency to set in against the SP's rule in Uttar Pradesh.

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