Bangalore: Mulayam, Akhilesh attend Iftar, set their eyes on Karnataka

Bangalore, Jul 29 (DHNS): Samajwadi Party (SP) President Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday ruled out entering into pre-poll alliance with any party for the Lok Sabha polls even as he said his party would contest a sizeable number of seats from Karnataka.

“We will go it alone in the Lok Sabha polls,” the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said speaking to reporters after participating in an “Iftar party” hosted by the lone SP MLA in the state C P Yogeeshwara in Bangalore. However, it will be a different ballgame after the elections. “No government will be formed at the Centre without the support of the SP,” he told reporters after landing at the Bengaluru International Airport.

 Mulayam said the state unit of the party would decide on the constituencies from where the party would contest. He said the SP had learnt from its mistakes in Karnataka. “The previous office-bearers of the party had failed to keep in constant touch with the people. This time we will strengthen our grassroots in Karnataka,” he said.

Mulayam’s son and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said the party may be relatively new in Karnataka but its ideology was time-tested. He pointed out that former chief minister S Bangarappa had won a resounding victory from the Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency on the SP ticket.

Mulayam said the party’s ideology was inspired by socialist politician Shanthaveri Gopala Gowda who hailed from Karnataka. “Besides, Akhilesh did his higher studies here (Mysore). He knows the state well. He is more yours than ours,” Mulayam said.

Akhilesh said the party had appointed Yogeeshwara as the state unit president.

“Yogeeshwara and his team will decide on the number of constituencies to contest in the state,” he said.

The party had left it to the Yogeeshwara to decide whether to contest the by-polls to Bangalore (Rural) and Mandya Lok Sabha constituencies, he added.

Senior Congress leaders C K Jaffer Sharief and R Roshan Baig sprung a surprise by attending the Iftar party. Malayam said there was no politics involved.

On Monday, the father-son duo will be participating in a public rally in Chitradurga. Former minister Goolihatti D Shekar will be joining the party along with his supporters at the convention. He will be contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Chitradurga constituency as the SP nominee.

JD (S) leader and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda also hosted an Iftar party at Palace Grounds on Sunday. Several leaders including Congressmen C K Jaffer Sharief and C M Ibrahim attended.