New Delhi: Two prominent Yadav leaders --
Lalu Prasad and Mulayam Singh -- today joined hands in taking
on the UPA with the RJD chief warning that its "arrogance"
would lead to its doom as the SP supremo tried to wean away
Sharad Pawar from the ruling alliance.
"Your attitude is not good. You are arrogant, out of
control and will have to leave in between....we supported you
to keep them (pointing towards BJP) away," Lalu, whose party
was the second largest constituent in UPA-I but is now out of
the UPA-II, said.
The RJD chief was participating in a discussion on price
rise in Lok Sabha.
He blamed both the Centre and the state governments for
escalating prices and said such debates in the House will
yield no result at the ground level.
"As the common man is facing back-breaking prices, the
Government's priority seems to be passage of Women's
Reservation Bill," Prasad said.
Mulayam Singh Yadav "cautioned" Pawar that "Congress has
been telling its cadre that he was responsible for price rise.
This is the message the Congress has sent to its district
committees. "Come out of the UPA and we will work together,"
the SP chief said.
He said it was the collective responsibility of the Centre
to control price rise and not that of the agriculture minister
alone.
The issue of price rise has seen opposition parties -- BJP
Left and outside supporters like RJD and SP -- closing ranks
to corner the government.
The SP chief said he would make attempts to wean away
Sharad Yadav from the NDA. "We will also get Sharad Yadav out
of NDA," he said.
Turning to the BJP, Mulayam said he could have done
business with that party if the Babri Masjid was not
demolished.
Taking pot-shots at the Prime Minister, Lalu posed, "While
Manmohan Singh is a good person, are the ministers in
control?"
The RJD leader warned of law and order problem where
people could "loot" godowns if prices of essential commodities
did not see a downturn in the next one month.
He said all opposition parties could co-ordinate to
organise a 'Bharat Bandh' in the coming days, evoking cheers
from Opposition benches.
"Had they (BJP) not demolished Babri Mosque, we would
not have a fragmented opposition," he said.
Lalu said when he was in UPA-I, prices were under control.
"We supported you to keep them away. They have gone, but you
have become out of control."
He also used the opportunity to attack Maharashtra Chief
Minister for the government's decision to stop people not
knowing Marathi from driving taxi.
In a veiled attack on Chavan, he said money in elections
is provided by traders which is used to buy out TV and Press
and give advertisements.
He was apparently referring allegations against Chavan
that he had used 'paid articles' for publicity in the assembly
election in the state.
-PTI
First Published: Friday, February 26, 2010, 00:31