Congress demands support by threatening parties: Mulayam

Raking up the issue of the misuse of the Central Bureau of Investigation, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday said fighting with the government is not easy as it can "use the Central Bureau of Investigation and put one in jail".

"Sarkar se ladna asaan nahi hai. Sarkar ke hazaron haath hote hain. CBI ka upyog kar sakti hai, jail me daal sakti hai" (It's not easy to fight with the government. It has thousands of hand and can use CBI and put one in jail)," he told reporters.

Yadav had earlier attacked the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government, alleging that it was misusing CBI.

"The Congress used to demand support by threatening (other parties). I supported the UPA government in bad times but Congress has put the CBI after me," the SP chief had told reporters on March 29.

Asked about socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia's praise by Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani in Chitrakoot, Yadav said that it was a good thing to do.

"A lot of hue and cry was raised in the media when I appreciated Advani. Those who had done or are doing good should be appreciated,” Yadav said after a meeting with his party's district presidents.

During the closed-door meeting, Yadav asked the district presidents to remain prepared for Lok Sabha polls, according to sources. He told the party functionaries to work in their districts to redress the grievances of the common man and stressed on the need for strengthening booth committees.

Yadav also asked them to remain cautious about the opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh, which have been making allegations against the government.

"Promises made in the party's manifesto in the 2012 assembly polls are being fulfilled and a number of schemes, including distribution of laptops, have already started. The message that the SP government is working for the people should reach them," he said.