Cong not treating us well, but we won't pull support: Mulayam

New Delhi, Jan 6: Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav today (Jan 6) complained that Congress has not been treating his party well but despite that he ruled out withdrawal of support to the UPA government.

"The Congress is not treating us well. But our politics is based on principles and we will not give that up," he said.

Amid talk about the possibility of two parties forging a tie-up in Uttar Pradesh after the upcoming assembly polls, Yadav said, "We will continue to support the Congress-led Government at the Centre. That's because we wish to keep communal forces at bay."

To a question whether his party would support any attempt to bring down the government at the Centre, he told Prabhu Chawla for Teekhi Baat programme, "There are only two years left for the next general elections, so why topple? We will not withdraw support."

On the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh, the former Chief Minister expressed hope that his party will form the next government without any support.

He indicated that he would be party's Chief Ministerial candidate when he ruled out taking "rest", saying "I am healthy and strong... I have not given up on politics".

Yadav made the remarks apparently to dispel the notion that he was projecting his son Akhilesh to carry the banner.

Asked whether he or his son would take responsible if the party loses, the SP chief said, "We are confident that the people will vote us in with a clear majority. We will win. If we lose the defeat will be the party's."

He elaborated on this by saying that it was "not me or my son but the Samajwadi Party that is fighting (the elections)."

When pointed out that the party has not projected any Chief Ministerial candidate and asked specifically whether it would be him or his son, the SP President remarked, "the party knows, its workers know; the rest will be decided by the party".

He refused to accept a parallel between the entry of Akhilesh into politics with that of Rahul Gandhi.

"That is not what I feel. Entering politics was my son's desire and I didn't stop him. He has been elected to the Lok Sabha three times, and it is a matter of pride that he represents the constituency which sent Ram Manohar Lohia to Parliament," Yadav said.

Asked whether the UP elections would be fought on issues or be a contest of personalities, he said the priority issue was providing a "clean government" and then involving all sections of the society in development process.

He claimed that during his rule, no one was ever accused of corruption and "if any had been, I would have sacked them instantly".

Attacking the BSP government in Uttar Pradesh, Yadav said corruption was entrenched in higher places and sacking ministers was a "Mayawati charade".

He alleged that Mayawati was the "root of corruption" in the state and was sacking ministers to "show how clean her government is" as elections are round the corner.

Turning to sacked minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, who is facing CBI probe in Rs 2000 crore NRHM scheme, Yadav said he was Mayawati's "most trusted" and was "practically staying" at her house. "They must have fallen out over dividing the spoils," he contended.

PTI