Alvi’s remarks against Mulayam upsets Congress

Repeated gaffes by its spokespersons have caused major embarrassment to the Congress on numerous occasions.

Repeated gaffes by its spokespersons have caused major embarrassment to the Congress on numerous occasions.

On Thursday, the party was once again in a tight spot after one of its spokespersons made a controversial remark against Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.

At a public meeting in Moradabad district of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, Rashid Alvi called Mulayam the “biggest agent” of the BJP. He didn't stop at that and went on to elaborate. "I don't know if you would like it or not but I have been saying it for the last 10 years that if there is anyone who dances to BJP tunes, it is Mulayam Singh Yadav.”

The “off-the-cuff” remark prompted an angry SP, which is supporting the UPA from outside and has pledged its support to the Mukherjee, to demand an apology and a clarification from the Congress.

Groping to fix the gaffe at a time when their party was desperately trying to keep its flock together and woo different political parties to vote for its presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee, Congress managers immediately disapproved of the comment.

“We do not approve of this. Congress has always been in favour of uniting secular forces,” said party's media department chairman Janardan Dwivedi. Though Mulayam refused to comment, his colleagues reacted angrily.

“If a person turns mad and starts making all sorts of baseless statements, he should be sent to a mental asylum,” senior leader Ram Gopal Yadav said.

His colleague Shahid Siddiqui asked if Alvi had taken permission of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other senior leaders before making such a “baseless” statement.

Reprimanded by his bosses, Alvi said: “I have the same opinion as Janardan Dwivedi has.”