Mulayam takes on Lalu for visiting Muzaffarnagar camps

Attacking Lalu Prasad for going to Muzaffarnagar riot relief camps a few days after Rahul Gandhi's visit, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today said the RJD leader was a sycophant who was "licking the feet" of Congress leaders.

"Despite all help to riot victims by the SP government, everyone is trying to play politics on the issue. Some persons (Lalu) reached there immediately after being released from jail. He had said he will not allow Mulayam to become Prime Minister in the past. He has said the same thing now. What's new in it?" he said while addressing party workers on the death anniversary of SP leader Rajnarain.

"Wo Congress ke talve chaat rahe hain. Uski chaploosi kar rahe hain" (He is licking feet of Congress. He is behaving like a sycophant)," Mulayam alleged.

He accused Lalu of siding with different parties to grab power.

"The SP men cannot leave their policies and are not (trying to) divert from them. We did not leave our policies for grabbing power like Lalu, who had sided with even BJP for power," the Samajwadi Party chief charged.

On the Muzaffarnagar issue, he said the SP government had tried its best to compensate whatever damage was incurred during the riots.

"After independence, so many riots took place. No government has ever helped riot victims the way in which SP government has helped Muzaffarnagar riot victims. We have distributed Rs 90 crore...The opposition parties know this but are playing politics on the issue," he said.

Asserting that there were good chances of catapulting the party to power at the Centre in the coming Lok Sabha polls, Mulayam asked party workers to reach out to the people.

"You all should go to the people, who have supreme power. By ignoring them, you cannot make me Prime Minister. In politics, power is worshipped. No heed is paid to the weak. So, try to increase power of the party," he said.

Holding that BJP would have some gains in Lok Sabha polls due to Narendra Modi, Mulayam said despite this, it would not be able to form government as no party stood with it.

"Modi will help BJP win more seats..Despite that, it will not be able to form the next government at the centre as no party is with it. Only Third front will be able to form government after polls," he said.