BJP hits back at SP over Advani remark

BY MUKESH RANJAN

New Delhi

July 6: Irked by SP leader Amar Singh’s statement claiming that the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, Mr L.K. Advani, was more dangerous than US President George Bush, the saffron party on Sunday reacted sharply by claiming the SP leader’s utterances as "outlandish" and "highly contemptible".

The party demanded that instead of accusing and branding others, the SP should rather clear air about its own "unholy alliance" with the Congress-led UPA. The party, however, claimed that the SP’s newfound love for the Congress was nothing but "opportunistic", which had been done with an intention of self-aggrandisement.

Speaking to this newspaper, senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy said, "The man who is making a deal within a deal is trying to glorify himself by making outlandish statements. Despite being highly contemptible, his utterances do not deserve to be commented upon."

Claiming that the SP and Congress have every right to come together, the saffron party said the SP should desist from using the BJP as a "cover" to hide its "self-centred unholy political alliance".

Asking the SP and the Congress to reveal in public the "secret trade" between the two for enacting the nuclear deal, Mr Rudy questioned the credibility of Mr Singh. "The country knows Amar Singh in and out, with or without his present utterances. By taking Advaniji’s name, he is only trying to hide his private deal with the Congress," he said. Criticising the SP for raising his favourite "communalism and secularism" bogey at a time when the nuclear deal is the main issue, the party claimed that it could only be either good or bad for all, irrespective of religion.

Scouting criticism from all sides, including the Left parties and the erstwhile allies in the UNPA, the SP leader on Saturday claimed that communalism is a bigger threat than the US President. Moreover, reiterating that the BJP would renegotiate the deal if it was voted to power at the Centre, the BJP leader said the party would oppose the deal as it was "against the interests of the nation". "We already demanded the UPA to seek vote of confidence in Parliament since it is reduced to minority after the Left parties announced withdrawal of support to the government," Mr Rudy claimed.