SP ready for pact with AGP: Mulayam

GUWAHATI, February 8: The President of Samajwadi Party and former Defence Minister of the country, Mulayam Singh Yadav today said his party was open to form alliance with the ruling Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) if the latter maintained equal distance from the BJP and Congress. The heavy-weight of Uttar Pradesh politics, Yadav said Samajwadi Party which is trying to consolidate its base in Assam, was interested in forging alliance with anti-BJP and anti-Congress forces in the State. The former Defence Minister who is here to attend the two-day convention of the State unit of the party, criticised the Centre's policy of tackling insurgency problem in the State. He said only continuous use of force against militant groups would not solve the problem and observed that negotiation must be held with insurgent groups to resolve the issue. He said the Centre had utterly failed to address to burning problems of economic backwardness, poverty, unemployment which bred militancy. Regarding the problem of illegal migrants in the State, he said his party was opposed to scrapping of the IMDT Act and was in favour of detection and deportation of illegal foreign nationals, if any, through tribunals. Regarding national political scenario, Yadav claimed, "People of the country are looking for a third front as alternative to the BJP and Congress." He alleged that the BJP-led Government's policy had divided the country on religious line while the Congress had failed to act as a responsible Opposition party. The Samajwadi Party, therefore, has initiated steps to form a third front in the country with like-minded parties. Yadav claimed that Left parties had responded very positively to the effort with veterans like Jyoti Basu and Harkishan Singh Surjeet showing interest to discuss the matter with the leaders of Samajwadi Party. Samajwadi Party is keen to float a third front before the forthcoming assembly polls in five States including Assam where it has already roped in leaders and members of United People's Party of Assam (UPPA), a partner in the four-party ruling coalition. In fact, the UPPA leader and State Irrigation Minister, Abdul Muhib Mazumdar was sharing the dais with Mulayam Singh Yadav today. The president of Samajwadi Party today came down heavily on the anti-people economic policy of the BJP-led Government in the Centre and said it would spell doom for farmers, small traders and entrepreneurs in the country as the market would be flooded with goods from foreign countries. He also accused the BJP-led Government of utter failure in fortifying national security measures which was exposed in the event of armed militants storming the 'well-protected' Red Fort in New Delhi where three Armymen were killed by the mercenaries. Talking about his party's position in Uttar Pradesh, Yadav said his party would come back to power in the State in next Assembly polls on its own. He said his claim was based on the results of recent election to UP municipal corporations where the party made a sweep. When asked who will be projected as the leader if a Third Front was floated, Yadav said the leader would be decided on consensus basis in the event of formation of a Third Front.