Mulayam says fight is with BJP, as Congress is non-existent

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief, Mulayam Singh Yadav, while addressing an election rally said that it is a straight fight between Samajwadi Party and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh, as the Congress does not exist at all in this election.

Mulayam Singh Yadav on Saturday said that there is no third party other than SP and BJP as far as the election is concerned.

"Samajwadi Party (SP) is in a direct fight with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the elections. Congress party is in a poor state and does not exist in the election scene at all." Yadav said at Mohammadabad village in Farrukhabad district.

Samajwadi Party, earlier got into a row with the Election Commission (EC) after the latter sent a notice to its leader Azam Khan for his highly inflammatory speech at an election rally.

The Election Commission this month banned Khan from public speeches as they stirred "disharmony between different religious communities".

The EC had lifted its ban on Shah's participation in the Lok Sabha poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh on April 17 after he assured the poll body that he would not disturb the public tranquility and law and order.

Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party, enraged by the notice, accused the EC of being biased and influenced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Yadav had earlier drawn flak by his remark on April 10 that rapists should not be awarded the death penalty for their 'mistakes'. He also said that 'boys will be boys' and they sometimes commit mistakes.

The Election Commission (EC) of India had served a show cause notice to Mulayam Singh Yadav, on Friday for allegedly threatening contractual teachers in northern Uttar Pradesh to vote for his party or risk losing permanent jobs.

On grounds of prima facie violation of the model code of conduct, the EC has asked Yadav to come up with a response or face action.

While addressing a rally in Bulandshahar city in Uttar Pradesh on April 03, Yadav had allegedly blackmailed ad hoc school teachers appointed by the government on a contractual basis that if they did not vote for SP in the ongoing mammoth elections, they would not be made permanent.

The speech of Yadav, who is already facing criticism after his rape remark, drew flak from the opposition.

Yadav accused the Election Commission of being biased and said that its ban on Azam Khan was unjustified.

"The ban on Azam Khan by the Election Commision is wrong. The ban on Amit Shah should not have been lifted and Azam Khan's ban should have been lifted. This action of Election Commission is not justifiable," Yadav said while addressing an election rally.