PTI

Lucknow, Feb 4: In an apparent bid to shun his "Hindutva" image, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh on Wednesday claimed Muslims do not see him as anti-minority as he had never discriminated against them during his tenure which also saw the razing of the Babri mosque.

"Letters and phone calls are coming in hordes not just from Hindus but also from Muslims who have hailed my decision to quit the BJP and also the coming together of two politicians (him and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav)," Singh said here.

While trying to steer clear of the ripples of revolt in the SP, especially by party MPs over his coming closer, Singh stressed that he had never been opposed to Muslims and had proved it while leading the saffron government twice.

"The works taken up by me proved that I had worked for the welfare of all and had never discriminated against Muslims," he said, adding BJP would be weakened following his resignation.

"Muslims are against the BJP and not me and now that my target is also to bury the saffron party they (Muslims) have welcomed my resignation with open arms," he said.

Singh, who had termed the Babri mosque as a symbol of slavery, also sang a differently tune when he spoke about the ills of politics of caste and religion rampant in the country.

"The politics of caste and religion divide the country," Singh said.

The former BJP stalwart, who is believed to have made a great contribution in changing the electoral fortunes of the party in Uttar Pradesh, also said parties should stop pitting Hindus against Muslims for their "political interests and igniting communal passions".

To a question on the BJP's support base among Hindus, Singh, without elaborating, said they (Hindus) have also been cheated by the saffron party and they have realised it.

Terming his camaraderie with Yadav as "natural friendship", Singh said while alliances and understandings fall apart, friendships stand the test of time.

"While the party I had devoted my life in strengthening did not even take my advice on many occasions, SP is accepting my advice on the issue of Lok Sabha elections."

He said along with SP he would soon work towards ending BSP's "political terrorism" and "autocracy" in Uttar Pradesh.

He claimed that BJP would not fare well in Uttar Pradesh.

"All the stalwarts in UP are in for a big shock and the BJP tally would remain confined to three to four seats only," he said.

Maintaining that he had not asked anyone to quit the party, he said a "BJP choro saptah" (Quit BJP Week) is being observed and workers are resigning in large numbers.

Singh refused to speak on his prodigy Kusum Rai, who has decided to remain in the BJP which had sent her to the Rajya Sabha in the recent biennial elections.