Akhilesh Yadav blames PM for economic crisis, says SP ready for snap polls

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav who, until now, used to divert queries related to national politics and his father Samajwadi Party (SP) president Mulayam Singh Yadav's support to the UPA, on Saturday attacked prime minister Manmohan Singh, holding him responsible for the economic crisis of India.

He also said that though the SP has given support to the UPA government to keep communal forces out, the party is ready to face the Lok Sabha elections.

Reacting to the prime minister's address to the nation on Friday on the issue of the FDI in multi-brand retail, Akhilesh on Saturday said that his party is opposing the FDI because it is not good for small farmers and traders. He said that Manmohan Singh is a renowned economist and has been prime minister since 2004 but only now he is saying that India's economic situation has gone from bad to worse. "The question is who is responsible. The ruler or the people? " he asked.

When asked about SP chief's flip flop on supporting the UPA-2 and the possibility of a third political front, Akhilesh, who was on an official visit to Vrindavan, told reporters that the SP does not want the communal forces to take advantage of the present crisis but at the same time party cannot overlook the interest of small farmers and traders on the issue of the FDI in retail. Regarding early Lok Sabha elections, he said that the SP is ready for polls whether they take place now or later.

Akhilesh's statement came after Mulayam met Shiromani Akali Dal leader and Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. Refusing to divulge details about the meeting here, he said his association with the Badals was as old as Prakash Singh Badal's association with Chaudhury Charan Singh. Asked whether the meeting was part of his efforts to form a Third Front, Mulayam said there were "no efforts" to form such an alliance as of now.