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Stay away from violence and work for the party was Mulayam Singh Yadav’s message to Samajwadi Party workers on the party’s 9th national convention in Lucknow.
Samajwadi Party’s special invitee to the event, Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav, chose to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a threat to the fundamentals of the Indian Constitution.
Indicating his compliance to an alliance with SP, Sharad Yadav said, “True socialists have a history of always aligning themselves in times of crisis.”
Addressing the huge gathering Mulayam said, “It’s a serious concern that 28 of our ministers lost the (Lok sabha) election, while Narendra Modi swept 73 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats. “
“The Samajwadi Party could retain only 5 seats that were held by my family members. It is a reflection of the people’s faith and confidence in the family.” He called upon his cadres to try and build similar faith in the masses.
“If you are unhappy with the ways being adopted by the party leadership or with the policies of the government, please feel free to write to me or the chief minister. We will have the issue resolved,” Mulayam said.
He warned the youngsters in the party to abstain from violence or any act that could tarnish the image of the government and the party.
Lamenting on the self-centred attitude of his own party leaders, he said, “It is high time that our ministers, MPs and MLAs started looking beyond their own personal interests and began to care for the party and its future.”
Mulayam’s attacked the prime minister for his “timidity” in handling the border issue with China and Pakistan.
“Modi invited the Chinese head of government and continued to praise China, but he could not muster the courage to raise the border issue,” he said.
Making a quip, Mulayam said, “Perhaps one requires a 56-inch chest to raise those important issues.”
But Mulayam’s lacklustre speech did not seem to enthuse partymen who sparingly applauded him.
Apart from accusing Modi of playing “communal politics,” Sharad Yadav criticised the prime minister for the cleanliness campaign he had undertaken under the banner of Swacch Bharat. Calling it a “big drama” he said, “Cleanliness drives cannot be carried by wielding a broomstick on a particular day, nor can Ganga be cleaned by mere lip service. First you need to clean your heart so that you can have sincerity of purpose and true commitment to rid the nation of its ills.”
Samajwadi Party's 3-day convention will conclude on Friday.
Image: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav at the party's 9th national convention in Lucknow. Photograph: Sandeep Pal