SP not withdrawing support from UPA: Mulayam

Lucknow, Oct 7 (UNI) Samajwadi Party (SP) president Mulayam Singh Yadav today said the party fully endorsed the views of its general secretary Amar Singh raising questions on Batala house encounter in Delhi, but made it clear that it would not withdraw support to UPA government on the issue.

''We demand a judicial probe into the encounter, in which allegedly two terrorists were killed, but the issue of withdrawal of support was not related to this,'' Mr Yadav told newsmen after culmination of two-day state party executive meeting.

The SP chief, when reminded of Mr Amar Singh's statement that the party would withdraw support in case a judicial probe was not ordered and if the slain 'terrorists' were proved innocent, categorically said that both were unrelated issues. ''I myself clarified with Amar Singh and he asserted he was misquoted by media on withdrawal of support statment,'' he said.

Mr Yadav said his party's support to Congress-led UPA at the Centre was on the Nuclear deal, which it always thought was in the larger interest of the nation. ''You (Media) have confused the issue by misquoting Mr Amar Singh,'' he pointed out.

To a question if the party fully supported the suspicion raised by party general secretary on authenticity of Batla house encounter, Mr Yadav said ''...Yes, his views should be construed as the views of the party.'' The SP president, in reply to another query, said that seat sharing formula with the Congress for Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh was still in negotiation stage. '' Moreover, the Lok Sabha polls are still six months away and we have ample time for that.

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