CHIEF Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on Saturday indicated towards the formation of a new political alliance. He urged former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu to lead the new political front.
Taking the UPA government to task for its failure to deal with the challenges before the country, Mulayam said earlier the godowns in the country were overflowing with grains. "Today, the stores are vacant and we are importing wheat from abroad," he rued.
Inaugurating AgriExpo- 2006 in Ambedkar ground on Saturday, Mulayam said under the WTO pressure, the subsidy to the farmers was being withdrawn by the Central Government, while the developing nations were increasing subsidy to the agriculture sector.
"I have predicted the ensuing grain crisis. As the area under cultivation is decreasing, the grain production is declining. Around 4000 farmers have committed suicide. The Central Government should take measures on war footing to protect the farmers and agriculture sector," he said.
Recounting the measures taken by the earlier government at the Centre, particularly between 1996-98. in which he was Defence Minister, Mulayam said several measures were taken for farmers' welfare by the then government.
{{/usCountry}}Recounting the measures taken by the earlier government at the Centre, particularly between 1996-98. in which he was Defence Minister, Mulayam said several measures were taken for farmers' welfare by the then government.
{{/usCountry}}Chandrababu Naidu was the convener of that front, he said.
"Now time has come for Naidu to take initiative and lead the new front, Mulayam said. Both the SP and the Telugu Desam Party will fight together the challenges before the country and oppose the wrong policies of the Union Government," he said.
Adding to Mulayam's view, national general secretary of the SP Amar Singh said instead of politicking, Naidu focused on the development. He dealt with Naxalites strictly, opposed the formation of separate Telangana state and even provided free power to farmers. Though Naidu lost the election, the people still remembered him as a visionary leader.
Hitting out at the UPA Government, Singh said it had failed to implement the Common Minimum Programme, but has left no stone unturned to target Mulayam Singh Yadav. National president of three political parties including the Congress, the BJP and the BSP were from UP and they had only one-point agenda to malign the state government, he said.
Both the SP and the TDP had good relations and would deal with the country's problems together, Singh said. "Along with TDP, I will talk to AIADMK leader Jayalalitha on the no-confidence motion against the UPA government on the Iran issue," he said.