Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has said that he will not give any statement to the Central Bureau of Investigation, which has been directed by the Supreme Court to conduct a preliminary inquiry into his assets and that of his family, as he has no faith in the agency.
"I have full faith in the Supreme Court but not in the CBI.... Whatever be the consequences, I will not give any statement to CBI," the Samajwadi Party chief said at a rally, in Bagpat. Suspended Congress leader K Natwar Singh also addressed the rally.
He alleged that the public interest litigation, on which the apex court's direction was issued, was filed at Congress' behest after it failed to dismiss his government and impose President's Rule in the state.
The PIL had charged Yadav and his family with amassing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.
He described the CBI as an agency of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh as the weakest Prime Minister.
Claiming that the BJP could become a major power in coming days, he urged the Muslim electorate to vote for his party as only SP can stop the saffron party.
He criticised the UPA government's foreign policy, which he claimed will isolate the country. He also attacked the Congress for failing to speak out against the execution of ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
Yadav attacked Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Ajit Singh for joining hands with Congress, which had cheated his father Charan Singh.
In his brief speech, rebel Congress leader Natwar Singh appealed the people to vote for the SP.
Speaking to reporters, Singh assailed Congress' policies and said the party was nearing its end.
He denied that he had joined SP and said he was only campaigning for the party. "My differences with the Congress are to the extent that they are not likely to be wiped out," he added.
Singh accused the UPA government of taking decisions under US pressure.