BJP trashes SP’s claim of PM post for Mulayam

The BJP strongly disputes SP leader Amar Singh's claim that Jaswant Singh came with an offer to back Mulayam Singh Yadav for Prime Ministership, reports Shekhar Iyer.

The BJP has strongly disputed SP leader Amar Singh's claim that Jaswant Singh came with an offer to back Mulayam Singh Yadav for Prime Ministership in lieu of his party’s support for Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in the presidential election last year.

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Jaswant Singh, however, drove to Amar Singh’s house on Wednesday in what appeared to be yet another attempt to prevent the SP from aligning with the Congress on the nuclear deal. Amar Singh said Jaswant Singh came to suggest to Mulayam that the Left parties, SP and the BSP should, along with the BJP, form a bloc and vote against the government on the deal. BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar however said, "The party has not approached anyone for any talks or coordination.”

Amar Singh also claimed the BJP leader said the Left’s line on the deal was the same as the saffron party’s. The SP leader said his party’s line was different as it felt that communalism was a bigger danger.

Some BJP leaders said Jaswant met Amar Singh to conveyJavadekar said Amar Singh was "day-dreaming" and attempting to camouflage his party’s “shameful pact” with the Congress to back the government in Parliament once the Left withdrew support on the nuke deal.

Javadekar said: “It is nothing but day-dreaming. It is pure fiction. During Shekhawat’s presidential campaign, we had approached every party and the Samajwadi Party and its leaders were one among them. There was no further offer or request.”