Sharad Yadav warms up to Mulayam

JD(U) chief heaps praise on SP supremo at party meet

Indicating the formation of a new anti-BJP and anti-Congress alliance and an attempt to bring all “socialists” on one platform, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav not only attended the national convention of the Samajwadi Party (SP) here on Wednesday, but also heaped praise on its supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The JD(U) chief later lashed out at the NDA government at the Centre led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as the Congress.

While Mulayam remarked that he was pleased to be among the old socialist leaders’ again, Yadav said that Mulayam had always fought for secularism in the country and was a strong leader.

The JD(U) leader said that he had been invited by the SP to attend the party’s national convention. “We (Mulayam and himself) have always been good friends,” Yadav remarked in reply to a query.

Though he remained evasive on joining hands with Mulayam to form an “anti-BJP” alliance, he did say that there was a “new challenge” in the country and that all the leaders, who were in any way associated with the Janata Dal, should come together.

Yadav also spoke at the convention and launched a scathing attack at the BJP government and Modi. “There is only one man who is speaking today in the country and he is Narendra Modi,” he said.

Yadav did not spare the Congress. “The Congress is like an old mother-in-law, while the BJP is the daughter-in-law. Both should be thrown into the Ganga,” he said.

SP leaders also refused to comment when asked about a possible coming together of the two Yadavs and also RJD leader Lalu Prasad. They, however, said that Yadav's presence had come as a big boost to the “secular forces”.

Lalu, who has joined hands with his one time bete noire Nitish Kumar in an apparent bid to check the BJP’s advance in Bihar, had appealed to Mulayam and BSP supremo Mayawati to shun their differences and fight “communal forces” together.