Now, Mulayam casts aspersion on Manmohan as PM

Indicating that he has differences over backing Manmohan Singh for prime ministership, Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav today said it would be for the members of the new Lok Sabha to decide it.

Indicating that he has differences over backing Manmohan Singh for prime ministership, Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav today said it would be for the members of the new Lok Sabha to decide it.

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Mulayam's remark has come after other leaders of the Secular Alliance -- RJD's Lalu Prasad Yadav and LJP's Ram Vilas Paswan-- threw their weight behind incumbent Manmohan Singh.

Answering to reporters' queries after filing his nomination papers here Mulayam said, "the name (prime minister) would be finalised by the MPs after the elections."

Faced with the criticism that regional parties were detrimental to development, Yadav said time has come for regional parties to take the reigns of power as the national parties have "failed" to fulfil their responsibilities.

Yadav, accompanied by party leader Amar Singh and film stars Sanjay Dutt and Jaya Bachchan, charged the Congress with betrayal. "We had backed the UPA Govenment on nuclear deal in the national interest, but look how they betrayed us," he said.

Jaya Bachchan alleged that Congress had troubled her and her family, but they had faced it patiently.