LUCKNOW: Claiming that only he can stop the march of communal forces in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav , while addressing an election rally in Mainpuri, said that he will not allow communal forces to turn UP into Gujarat. He reiterated that BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi , who is also Gujarat chief minister, is only visible in TV and his home state.

"Communal forces are instigating riots in UP. The SP knows how to handle them," Mulayam said recalling how as chief minister of the state he ordered firing on Karsevaks in Ayodhya during Ram temple movement. "I have asked chief minister ( Akhilesh Yadav ) to curb communal forces with iron hand," he said. He also described Muzaffarnagar riots as a conspiracy against the present SP government.

Attacking Modi, Mulayam said, "Modi is only visible in TV and Gujarat. Gujarat has only 26 Lok Sabha seats, whereas UP has 80. Modi only has sway in 26 seats and SP has hold in 80 seats. The development in UP would be more than Gujarat but no killings. Our government is for inclusive growth. It has implemented special schemes for poor, minorities, backward, marginalized, farmers and youth," he said.

Mulayam expressed confidence that third front will form the government at the Centre after Lok Sabha elections. "We have made a beginning by holding a convention in Delhi recently to bring all parties which oppose BJP and Congress at one platform," he said. He said that several parties including the Left are with him. He also took names of Mamta Banerjee and Jayalalithaa as potential future allies.

In a bid to consolidate his vote bank (backward classes and Muslims, Mulayam said the BJP has accused him of wooing 17 most backward castes in the state. "Yes, I am doing because these people are highly backward... I had put these 17 backward castes in scheduled caste category but later the BSP government scrapped it," he said. He said that his party will continue to fight for the backward classes.

Mulayam said that Muslims have contributed immensely in the freedom struggle and growth of the country. "From petty jobs like weaving to big ones like national security, Muslims have done a lot for India," he said while taking names of martyr Abdul Hamid and former president APJ Abdul Kalam. "Development of Muslims has taken place in UP only during SP regimes. Others have neglected them," he said.

Mulayam asked people to vote for the SP in Lok Sabha elections. "You supported us in assembly elections. Do it again in Lok Sabha polls. We swept central UP in assembly elections. I am sure we will do the same in Lok Sabha elections," he said. He recounted work being done by the SP government for poor, farmers, youth minorities, girls and backwards. He said that SP has fulfilled all its poll promises.

The SP president is holding a series of rallies in the state in the run up to Lok Sabha elections. This time his slogan is "Kisan aur Musalman" (farmers and Muslims). Both the farmers and Muslims are backward in UP. First rally was held in Azamgarh, dominated by Muslims and Yadavs. Second rally was in Mainpuri, which is Mulayam's parliamentary constituency and centre of the Yadav belt in the state.

Mulayam attacked both the Congress and the BJP. He criticized Congress for not doing enough for the Muslims and slammed the BJP for its alleged divisive agenda. Senior minister in SP government and party's Muslim face, Azam Khan said that Hindu-Muslims will have to unite to face the challenge thrown by the communal forces. He said that the Mulayam at present is the tallest leader of India.

Khan also took a dig the BJP for trying to appropriate Sardar Patel's legacy. "He (Modi) is building a tall statute of Patel but in the process have reduced his stature to a BJP worker," he said. "They (BJP) are spreading lies about Patel and Nehru," he added. He also said that the media should highlight the plight of the poor, instead of following Modi and creating hype for increasing their TRP ratings.

