Pointing out that Advani wrote in his book that he had met Mulayam secretly to keep the Congress out of government and also a recent incident when the BJP had offered the prime minister’s post to the SP leader, Singh said the Leader of the Opposition had several times in the past tried to pay his “dalal salaam”.

Expressing surprise at CPI leader A B Bardhan’s charge that MPs were being “purchased” for Rs 25 crore each by the UPA to ensure the Government’s victory in the confidence vote on July 22, the SP leader asked him to substantiate his charge.

“Bardhan is a respected leader, but he should authenticate his charge with proof. Even my MP has been offered Rs 30 crore by the BSP, but I have no documentary evidence. If proven, it should be prosecuted,” said Singh.

Singh also denied charges of corporate lobbying and took a dig at the Left parties for making these kind of accusations.

“When industrialist Ratan Tata meets West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee for setting up his small car unit there, it is called progressive. If Mukesh Ambani meets Uttar Pradesh Development Council chairman Mulayam Singh Yadav, then it is called bourgeois politics. These double standards should not be there,” said Singh.