If EC has the guts, let them ban me: Mulayam

After Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party took on the Election Commission, alleging that it was being biased, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav dared the poll authority to bar him and accused it of failing to revoke its order against Azam Khan as he had spoken in favour of Muslims.

Addressing a rally in Ballia, Yadav said when the poll body had banned both BJP leader Amit Shah and Khan together for hate speeches then why was the ban imposed on Shah revoked.

“Khan was banned because he spoke in favour of Muslims. I also speak in their favour daily. If the Election Commission has the guts, let them ban me as well. If speaking for Muslims is a crime, I am ready to be a criminal,” he said. Yadav’s remarks came just hours after the BJP prime ministerial candidate accused the EC of being biased and alleged that polling in the last three phases of Lok Sabha elections had not been conducted properly.

Complete Coverage: Elections 2014

Meanwhile, Yadav expressed confidence of a Third Front government at the Centre and claimed that the Congress had shown an inclination in joining the Front. “By saying that the Congress will not support the (Third Front) government from outside, it has shown intentions of joining the government,” Yadav said.

Attacking Modi, the SP chief said, “Modi is feeling uneasy with me as I am exposing his lies. He is wondering, who is telling me his truth. Modi should not consider me fool; I have held posts of defence minister, chief minister, and leader of opposition and have sources to know his reality.” Rejecting the Modi wave, Yadav claimed that irrespective of what BJP will do, it would not be able to cross the 272 mark in any case. Yadav also said that if his party was voted to power, it would bring down inflation at any cost.

On law and order, Yadav said that Uttar Pradesh was better than Gujarat in this front and a number of welfare schemes have been launched here by the SP government aimed at benefiting the poor.