Mulayam's 'third front' comment sparks sharp reactions

New Delhi, Aug 19 (ANI): Samajwadi Party (SP) president Mulayam Singh Yadav's recent assessment that there will be a non-Congress non BJP government at the Centre post 2014 general elections drew harsh reactions from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday, with the party stating that the country will not accept any "proxy government".

Interacting with mediapersons here, BJP spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said neither the Congress, nor any proxy government supported by it, would come to power in 2014.

"People of the country will not accept a proxy government by the Congress party. There is a very strong atmosphere in the nation against the Congress rule, so its certain that neither the Congress nor its proxy government will come to power in 2013 or 2014. NDA will form the government at the Centre with full majority," he said.

Commenting on the recent revelation of the Pakistan angle in fanning rumours relating to the Assam violence, Naqvi termed Pakistan a "factory of terrorism," and urged the government to take "strong measures" against it.

"Pakistan has become a factory of terrorism. ISI sponsored groups are targeting India's secularism. The attack is on human values. Government should take strong measures against Pakistan, and foster world community against Pak sponsored terrorism," Naqvi said.

On the Congress party questioning the credibility of CAG reports that have revealed the alleged 'Coalgate,' Naqvi said that it was the Congress' way to vent its frustration.

"This is Congress' frustration on being exposed of its corrupt practices. A new scam is being unearthed every day, so their frustration is natural. They have always reacted in a similar way whenever a scam has been revealed, be it 2G or CWG. Corruption and Congress are made for each other," he remarked.

Meanwhile, expelled former Samajwadi Party leader Shahid Siddiqui has reacted strongly on Mulayam Singh Yadav's prediction, terming it a "daydream."

Interacting with reporters here on Sunday, Siddiqui said Muslims in Uttar Pradesh had voted the Samajwadi Party to power hoping for a change. However, the government is meting out step-motherly treatment to them, he added.

"Muslims in UP voted for SP hoping for a change, but today in every district, step- motherly treatment is being meted out to Muslims. There are more riots in UP than they were over the past 5 years. In such a scenario, Yadav's comments are nothing short of daydreaming," he said.

Siddiqui further accused Yadav of following "Kalyan Singh-ideology" and called Yadav's family the "root" of all corrupt practices in UP.

"His (Yadav's) brain, his heart belongs to Kalyan Singh ideology, and he wears a mask of secularism. Muslims of UP have understood this. They are rethinking. His family is at the root of all the corruption in UP. All land mafia, mining mafia are related to his family. He should focus on improving the behaviour of his family," the former SP leader said.

Earlier on Saturday, Yadav, addressing a party meeting in Lucknow, had predicted the possibility of a Third Front coming to power at Centre in 2014 while exhorting the party workers to work hard to ensure that SP bags at least 60 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP. (ANI)