As if the flak over Samajawadi Party's sudden bonhomie with hardcore Hindutva mascot and rebel Bhartiya Janata Party leader Kalyan Singh was not enough, SP strongman Amar Singh made no bones about giving a big hug even to BJP's prime ministerial candidate LK Advani.
Clearly unmindful of the increasing resentment of the party's prominent Muslim leaders against the move, Amar Singh on Friday did not hesitate to declare that he would not mind associating even with BJP strongman and former deputy prime minister LK Advani as long he were willing to offer apologies for the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in 1992.
"We would not mind welcoming even Lal Krishna Advani if he were to express regret and offer public apology over demolition of the Babri Mosque," Singh told a public rally in Gorakhpur to kickstart the poll campaign of local SP nominee Manoj Tiwari, a popular Bhojpuri singer.
Vehemently defending the SP's recent truck with Kalyan Singh whose son Rajvir Singh was not just inducted into the party but also named SP national general secretary on day one itself, Amar Singh claimed, "The move will not only strengthen our party, but also decimate the BJP in Uttar Pradesh."
He also trained his guns at SP's Muslim MPs, Saleem Sherwani and Shafiqur Rehman Burke, who had not minced words in condemning the new found affinity between SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Kalyan Singh
"Where were these people when Kalyan Singh's son was holding a cabinet minister's chair in the Mulayam Singh Yadav government in 2005?" Amar Singh asked.
While he was going on to eulogise Kalyan Singh, the dais erected for the rally suddenly caved in. However no one was hurt on account of the mishap. Local authorities have however ruled out any foul-play behind it.
