It's now official, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav wants to be the prime minister after 2014 polls. His party would not approach the polls projecting him as the prime ministerial candidate, but that does not stop him from aspiring for the chair, Yadav himself admitted on Thursday.
 
“Party prachar nahi karegi. Par hum sadhu sant bhi toh nahi hain (The party will not campaign. But I am no saint either),” said Yadav with a chuckle while addressing a press conference at the end of the party’s two-day national executive committee meet in Kolkata.
 
Yadav also said the much discussed third front would be a post-poll phenomenon and would depend on the numbers. However, he made it clear Samajwadi Party would approach the 2014 Lok Sabha polls on its own without striking any alliance with any party.
 
“The issue (of prime ministerial candidate) would be settled with deliberations after the poll results,” he said.
 
“We will fight on the basis of our own strength. We will fight alone not only UP but also in other states like Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. The third front will take shape after the polls. Let us see what situation emerges,” he added.
 
The SP leader also said he was unsure of the possibility of a mid-term poll. “Sometimes one gets the feeling that mid term polls are near, but at other times one cannot be so sure. It all depends on the Congress,” he quipped.
 
Just a day before, SP general secretary Mohan Singh told the media that the party won’t prop up the UPA government if its allies pull the rug from under its feet.
 
He stated that the two big parties are not in a position to lead the country. “One cannot deliver to the people and another is bogged by infighting. So we have to take responsibility,” he said.  He stated that SP supports Congress only to thwart communal forces from grabbing power in Delhi, but cannot support all its policies.
 
He also elaborated that the woes of farmers and Muslims will be highlighted throughout the country and in Uttar Pradesh his government would do all it can to help out these two sections. Mulayam has already asked his party leaders to initiate nationwide campaign to spread the party’s organisation.
 
On Thursday, Mulayam remained mum on whom between the Left and Mamata Banerjee he would choose as a possible constituent of the third front. “I cannot say anything now. We are maintaining good relations to all political parties,” he said. He reiterated his cordial relations with Mamata Banerjee.
 
On Wednesday, Mohan Singh highlighted the importance of traditional political ties between the SP and the Left. On August 31, SP led a dharna outside the parliament in which the Left and Telegu Desam Party took part.
 
“That issue is long dead,” Mulayam quipped, when asked about his distance with Mamata Banerjee over the issue the candidature of Pranab Mukherjee as the President.
 
“Mamata gave a lot of love to us. We share very good relations with her,” he added.